Twisted
by SClownzZzZz
Summary: Strangetown scientist Vidcund Curious is extremely unlucky in love and is convinced he is going to die alone after losing the love of his life to his bitter rival, Loki Beaker. To make matters worse, he is dragged to their wedding dateless by his brothers. But little does he know, this is about to lead to the surprise of his life. R&R. - Now Complete!
1. Wedding Day

Hey guys! This story is another side project that I have been working on a lot lately. It could technically be the prequel to _Survivor_ , since it features many of the events that occurred before the Strangetown contestants set foot on the island. The story mostly centers around Vidcund and Loki, but some of the later chapters do focus on other residents as well. The chapters jump around chronologically, so later chapters might take place before this one.

 **Update:** After planning out the story entirely, here's how it works: There are two storylines, one that takes place in the present and one that takes place in the past. The present storyline follows Vidcund  & Loki's relationship including and following Loki's marriage to Circe. The past storyline follows Loki & Crystal's personal and work relationship leading up to the wedding and starts one year prior to Chapter One. The past storyline eventually catches up to the present by the end of the story and mostly takes place at SimSanto, Loki's workplace.

As always, let me know what you think and if you'd like to see more of this fic!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own the Sims.

* * *

 **Twisted** by SClownzZzZz

 _Chapter One – Wedding Day_

Vidcund is lying down alone in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He briefly turns to the side and stares at his alarm clock; the time reads '6:53 a.m.' Vidcund sighs and lies back down on his back.

" _Hello, my name is Vidcund Curious, I'm twenty-seven years old and I am about to experience the worst day of my life. Just in case you think I'm exaggerating here, let me explain. You see, a long time ago, I used to date this girl named Circe. Circe was great…er, great at the time, and the two of us actually enjoyed spending time together. But then she met Loki, and long story short, they're getting married today._

" _My brother Pascal says that I shouldn't let this bug me, Circe and I grew apart after all, but he doesn't understand the whole situation. You see, I'm not mad that Circe is getting married to someone else; I'm upset that she's marrying the biggest jerk on the planet. And what have I been up to while Circe has been busy falling in love? Well, I graduated from Sim State University a few years ago, with a double major in Physics and Plant Biology, and now I live in a house with my two brothers, Pascal and Lazlo._

" _Pascal is…well, I'm not sure how to explain him exactly. Pascal's intellectually gifted, but sometimes all his studies can get to his head so much that he starts going crazy. And Lazlo's always had a knack for enjoying life, more so than Pascal and me. I admire him greatly for that; he doesn't have a care in the world. Sometimes I wish I could be more like him, but that's never going to happen._

" _So that's it, that's pretty much everything that's happened to me since I graduated from college and started my boring life in Strangetown. And now I have nothing else to do but watch the love of my life marry someone else...or not. On second thought, I could skip the wedding-"_

Vidcund's alarm clock goes off, causing a loud ring to blare throughout the room. Pascal bursts through the door and pulls the covers off his brother. "Vidcund, wake up! It's Saturday!" Pascal chimes, his expression overly cheery. "Come on, we have to get ready! The wedding starts at noon!"

Vidcund groans and moves his hand up, attempting to shield the light from his eyes. "Ugh. You woke me up for that?" he moans, grabbing the covers and throwing them back over his head, "Wake me up when it's over; maybe I'll be dead by then."

Lazlo steps forward and pulls the covers off Vidcund once more. "Come on Vid, no more self-loathing," he states, "Let's just go and have a good time. We need to go out and meet people!"

Vidcund sits up and narrows his eyes at him. "Since when does that ever happen?" he challenges, shaking his head, "Honestly, what kind of person invites their ex to their wedding?"

"What kind of person goes?" Pascal questions.

Vidcund throws his hands down. "Of all the relationships that could've worked out, why did it have to be this one?"

"Hey, don't look at me, I think they can both do better!" Pascal states with a shrug.

"I don't," Vidcund replies, "Let's face it: Circe's the best Loki can get, and he's lucky he even got her."

…

An hour later, the Curious brothers are walking down the Road to Nowhere, each wearing formal attire. "This is the worst day of my life," Vidcund groans, as he drags his feet towards the church.

"Don't worry Vid, there will be others," Pascal speaks up next to him.

Vidcund turns to Pascal and raises an eyebrow, wondering how in the hell this is supposed to make him feel better. Vidcund sighs and shakes his head, quickly dismissing the thought for the moment, before turning to Pascal with a glare. "You know, you're not helping," he states, as he steps through the entrance door, his brothers stepping in after him.

Pascal and Lazlo open their mouths in awe at the extravagant church hall that is surrounding them. "Wow!" Lazlo exclaims, stopping to gaze up at the marble pillars, "Look at the size of this place!"

"I know!" Pascal awes next to him, "This must've cost a fortune!"

"Again, not helping," Vidcund mumbles, walking past the front hall and heading towards the main door. All three of them walk through, stopping when they approach the two sections of seats in the church, one on either side of the aisle of which they are standing.

Pascal steps forward, feeling somewhat out-of-place. "Which side do we sit on?" he whispers to his brothers, "We hate them both!"

"-Circe's," Vidcund quickly responds, "There's no way I am associating myself with Loki!"

Lazlo cocks his forehead. "Aren't you already associating yourself with Loki by going to his wedding in the first place?" he argues.

"Yeah…I didn't really think this one through," Vidcund mutters.

Pascal, Vidcund, and Lazlo walk over to the left side of the church and sit down in the back row. The three of them cautiously glance around the area.

"Lazlo! Hey Lazlo!" Loki's sister, Erin, waves to him from the other side of the church. Lazlo gives a half-hearted smile and awkwardly waves back.

Fifteen minutes later, the Curious brothers are still waiting for the wedding to begin. Vidcund sighs and slides his hands down to his knees, nervously tapping on his kneecaps. "Why did I go to this?" he asks suddenly, "Do I have no self-respect?" he wonders, "Why did they even invite us anyway?"

"Cause we're fellow scientists?" Lazlo guesses next to him.

Pascal shrugs. "Eh, I thought we were invited as more of an 'in your face' kind of thing, and then we came as a 'No, in _your_ face' kind of response!" he chimes. Pascal turns to Vidcund and Lazlo, who are now both looking at him strangely. "What?" he says, leaning back against the pew. Pascal smiles and excitedly moves his legs. "Man, just wait until they see the potato I got them!"

Lazlo scrunches his forehead. "You got them a potato for their wedding gift?" he states.

Next to him, Vidcund shrugs his shoulders. "Hey, it's more than what I was going to give them."

Fifty minutes later, the wedding has finally started, and Circe and Loki are standing in front of the priest, who is busy preaching to the couple. Vidcund sighs, feeling himself slowly starting to drift off as the air grows dry around them. All of sudden, he perks up, hearing a familiar game tune sounding next to him. He turns to Lazlo, who is busy frantically pressing buttons down on his Game Boy. Vidcund quickly confiscates it.

"But this is boring!" Lazlo whisper-whines as Vidcund tucks the Game Boy into his jacket pocket.

"And you think _I'm_ not bored? Look! Even Loki is falling asleep!" Vidcund whisper-exclaims, gesturing to Loki, who is standing at the altar with his hands folded, drifting off into a slumber. Loki wakes up and quickly catches himself before he falls backwards.

Nearby, Pascal is kneeled over next to his brothers, using the pew in front of him to hold his upper body up.

"Pascal, you should go home," Vidcund speaks up, "You're obviously not feeling well," he states, his face filled with concern.

"And miss the greatest wedding in the scientific community? No way!" Pascal says, slowly sitting back in his seat, his face sweating profusely. His brothers watch as Pascal quickly grabs one of the wedding handouts and starts moving it forcibly up and down like a fan to cool his face.

Back at the altar, Circe and Loki have just finished their vows. The priest turns to the crowd and moves his hands forward. "Now, if there's anyone here among us that has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace…"

Everyone in the church immediately turns around and stares at Vidcund. Vidcund throws his hands up, clearly puzzled and extremely offended that they would even assume such a monstrosity.

"What is everyone looking at me for?" Vidcund speaks up to the crowd, "Do you really think that I'm so desperate that I would object at my ex's wedding?!" he questions; several of them nod, including Circe, Loki, and the priest. "-That's it! I'm out of here!" Vidcund shouts, getting up from his seat and moving out of the pew. Vidcund walks down the center aisle and heads towards the exit.

"Hey genius, altar's this way!" Loki shouts from the stage.

Vidcund turns around and faces his rival. "Oh shut-up!" he yells, before walking back down the aisle and exiting the church, leaving his two brothers deeply concerned in the back row.

"Alright, now that the unpleasantness is over, we can continue with this lovely ceremony," the priest announces from the stage.

Five minutes later, the priest is gesturing down at Circe and Loki, who are both beaming as they turn to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I be the first to present to you…Mr. and Mrs. Loki Beaker!" he declares, the audience starting to applaud.

A thud rings out from the back of the church, as Pascal passes out in the aisle, his arms stretched out as he lies with his back down on the pathway. Lazlo nervously laughs from the back pew, as everyone glares at the two brothers, Circe clearly enraged on the stage. Lazlo slowly gets out of the pew and grabs Pascal by both of his arms, carefully moving him out of the way to unblock the aisle.

"Wait a minute, I almost got this-!" Lazlo says, struggling to move Pascal's passed-out body to the side.

Ten minutes later, Lazlo has successfully moved Pascal to the side of the aisle, and the guests are exiting the church, glaring at the pair as they pass by. Pascal yawns and stretches, sitting up from the ground and gazing up at Lazlo.

"So, what did I miss?"

…

A short while later, Pascal, Vidcund, and Lazlo are sitting at their assigned reception table in the back corner of the country club's banquet hall. "Wow. After that stunt you pulled at the wedding, I'm surprised Circe even let you in here," Vidcund says, following Lazlo's recap of their exit.

Pascal smiles and nods. "Yeah, well, the important thing is she still hasn't caught up to me," he tells him, grabbing another shot from off the table and downing it in one quick gulp. "Hey, we should take bets on which one of them cheats first."

"-Circe," Lazlo says, staring at something behind Pascal and Vidcund.

"Why do you say that?" Vidcund wonders.

Lazlo sighs. "Just based on the way she's looking at him," he states, pointing to Circe, who is seductively licking her lips at one of the groomsmen across the room while Loki's back is turned.

Vidcund's face falls when he sees the display. "This marriage is a sham," he states, taking a shot of alcohol. He opens his mouth slightly, reacting to the drink's bitter aftertaste.

"Come on Vid, are you sure you're not just jealous?" Pascal questions, watching as Vidcund fiddles with the empty shot glass in his hand.

"-Of Loki? Are you kidding? I dodged a bullet here! Circe stresses me out!" Vidcund confesses, "Besides, this is obviously a financial marriage. It boosts both of their careers if they tie the knot – that's all," Vidcund says, eating one of the chips in the center of the table, "Ack! These are bad," he claims, before brushing his fingers off with his thumb. Vidcund stands up from his seat and turns to his brothers, "I'm going to get something else," he states.

Vidcund walks over to the buffet table, stopping briefly to gaze at the hundreds of people that are situated in the banquet hall. " _Geez, who knew this many people would come to see this shit?_ " Behind him, Loki clears his throat. Vidcund tenses up a bit as he turns around, coming face-to-face with his nemesis. Loki's hands are clasped behind his back.

"Hello Vidcund," Loki greets, his face stone cold, "I'm surprised you came."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to see the train wreck in person, and there wasn't really anything good on the Science Channel today, so..." Vidcund trails off, barely making eye contact as he glances at some of floral wedding decorations around the room. "Oh, by the way, congratulations on the wedding."

Loki tilts his forehead, his mouth in a line. "Wow. That sounded so insincere," he states.

"It was," Vidcund confirms, "At least you can understand tone well," he says, scanning the hall for a moment, "Where's the wife?"

"I don't know. What am I, her babysitter?" Loki remarks, giving a smirk, "You must be so jealous."

Vidcund shakes his head. "Nah, I give this a year tops," Vidcund grabs some crackers and pats Loki childishly on the arm, "Have fun!" he chimes, turning towards his table.

Loki grabs Vidcund by the arm and pulls him back, a firm glare on his face. "Listen, I don't know why in the hell you think that, but I can assure you that Circe and I are going to last."

Vidcund turns away from Loki, clearly disinterested. "Eh," he shrugs.

Loki narrows his eyes at him. "What do you mean 'eh'?"

"It's just – you don't seem to be very into her," Vidcund confesses, glancing around the room.

"What are you talking about, Curious? I'm crazy about Circe!" Loki exclaims.

"Really?" Vidcund wonders, raising his eyebrow in challenge, "Is that why you're spending so much of your wedding arguing with me over something you _think_ you want?"

Loki stands in silence, visibly stunned. Vidcund steps forward and pats him on the arm again. "See ya," Vidcund playfully states, leaving him in shock. Loki looks down at the ground ponderously.

A few minutes later, all three of the Curious brothers are back sitting at their table. Vidcund sighs as he gazes across the room at Circe, who is happily conversing with a few of her family members. "My love life is a joke," Vidcund whines.

"Well, at least you recognize the problem," Pascal speaks up next to him, before blowing his nose into a three-hundred-dollar napkin. He unfolds the napkin and looks down at the expensive piece of golden-lined cloth, which has an image of Circe and Loki printed on the center of it. "Is all this really necessary?" he wonders.

"-It is if you're Loki," Vidcund mutters, fiddling with his straw wrapper.

"Hey, look at her. She's cute," Lazlo speaks up, leaning down towards the table.

Vidcund yawns, continuing to play with his drink straw as he turns to take a brief glance at the girl across the room. He sighs, clearly disinterested. "You mean the blonde with the purple dress?" Vidcund questions; Lazlo nods. "Yeah, I guess she's okay looking."

"I'm going to go talk to her," Lazlo says, standing up from his seat. Pascal and Vidcund watch in wonder as their youngest brother boldly walks over to the girl and introduces himself.

"I swear if he comes back with her, I'm going to cry," Vidcund states.

"Come on, Vid, you know Lazlo; he can never commit to one girl," Pascal reasons, "I give this a day tops. We probably won't even learn her name!"

Almost immediately, Lazlo walks back over to the table, the blonde girl following behind him. Lazlo stops in front of the table, holding her hand. "Hey guys, this is Crystal," he introduces her, "Crystal, these are my brothers: Vidcund and Pascal," Lazlo says, gesturing to the pair; Pascal waves to her. "-Apparently Crystal was once Circe's roommate in college!"

Vidcund throws his head down and starts weeping into his hands.

"I don't know why your brother's sobbing; it wasn't that bad!" Crystal jokes, attempting to break the ice.

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund watches in silence as Circe and Loki enjoy their first dance on the dance floor. Pascal watches as Vidcund sighs, sorrowfully propping his head up with his hand. "Look Vid, I know why you're sad," Pascal tells him, "I mean, the love of your life is married to someone else."

"Pascal, please listen to me, I don't care that Circe didn't marry me," Vidcund speaks up.

Pascal leans forward, appearing dead serious as he looks into his brother's eyes. "- I wasn't talking about Circe."

Vidcund freezes, visibly overwhelmed and stunned by Pascal's words.

"I'm just kidding!" Pascal exclaims, giving a chuckle, "Oh man! You should've seen the look on your face when I said that!" Pascal bursts into a fit of laughter, "That was a good one!"

"Heh, yeah," Vidcund nods, nervously sliding down in his seat, "That was good," he squeaks.

Pascal wipes a single tear away from his eye, his laughter finally ceasing. "Well, I'm going to go and get some calamari. You want anything?" Pascal wonders, getting up from his seat.

Vidcund shakes his head, still staring out at Circe and Loki. "No, I'm fine."

"Well, okay," Pascal shrugs, leaving the table.

Fifteen minutes later, Pascal returns in a panic, only to find Vidcund asleep with his chin on the tablecloth. "Vid! Vid!" Pascal cries, shaking Vidcund awake by the shoulders, "We have to go. _Now_."

Vidcund drowsily wipes his eyes, letting out a small yawn. "Why now?" Vidcund moans, his eyes refocusing on his brother, "Why not three hours ago?" Vidcund looks Pascal over, noticing the look of pure panic that is on his face. "Pascal, relax," he tells him, "I'm sure whatever you did, it's not that bad."

Pascal grabs Vidcund by the shirt and moves him back and forth, his face filled with fear. "I vomited on Circe and ruined her ten thousand simoleon wedding dress! And now she's probably going to press charges!" Pascal shrieks.

Vidcund looks down at Pascal, his eyes wide. "Good God, you're dead!" he declares, standing up from his seat, "Let's go."

Vidcund and Pascal race across the room. They pass by Lazlo, who is happily conversing with Crystal near the entrance. Pascal grabs Lazlo by the arm and drags him out the door.

"Hey!" Lazlo chimes.

"Sorry Crystal, but we got to go," Vidcund tells the townie before the three brothers exit into the hallway.

The Curious brothers run out the door, passing by the Unsavory Charlatan, who is standing dangerously close to Charlie Lawson, the town's Mr. Big.

"Hey Charlie! That guy is trying to pickpocket you!" Pascal shouts to the millionaire.

Charlie looks to his right, catching the thief with his wallet. He grabs the Unsavory Charlatan by the wrist and turns to the scientist. "Thanks Pascal!" The Unsavory Charlatan turns around and narrows his eyes at Pascal, giving him a testy death glare, hoping to burn this man's image permanently into his memory.

Pascal runs forward, trying to keep up with his brothers. "How much farther?" he asks Vidcund, still hanging onto Lazlo, "Are we almost home yet?"

Vidcund briefly turns to his left. "Pascal, I can still see the venue!" he states, gesturing to it.

"Wait, why am I running?" Lazlo speaks up behind him. "I didn't do anything!"

"Because you're a Curious, and we face stupid consequences together! It's all part of the family contract, see?" Pascal reminds him, pulling out a miniature laminated version of the contract and showing it to Lazlo.

Vidcund looks to him, puzzled, "Why do you keep showing people that thing? You know, you can't just keep pulling the contract out every time you need leverage over us!"

"Sure I can, and furthermore-Oh God! Here she comes!" Pascal shouts as Circe and a mob of her angry relatives start running out of the country club after them.

"Pascal Curious, you are dead!" Circe screams, a gigantic blue barf stain right smack dab in the center of her wedding gown.

"Wow, that dress really is ruined," Vidcund comments, grabbing Pascal by the arm as they go around the corner. The three brothers stop for a breather, staying in the shadows until the cost is clear.

Twenty minutes later, they are walking down the Road to Nowhere, heading back towards their house on Cover Up Road, all of them clearly winded and disheveled from their misadventures.

"All I'm saying is, that was easily the best wedding ever!" Pascal proclaims, hanging onto his shoes as he heads up the hill barefoot.

Vidcund narrows his eyes at him. "Really?" he snarls, walking up after him, "Was it you vomiting on Circe's dress, me crying at our reception table, or Lazlo eating the entire appetizer platter that makes you say that?" he questions.

"No way!" Pascal pauses, processing all this newfound information, "There was an appetizer platter?"

Vidcund turns to Pascal once more, his cheeks covered in dirt, clearly fatigued as he struggles to make it up the hill to their residence. "Just…never mind," Vidcund states.

The Curious brothers step onto their lot, arriving there before the sun peeks out above the horizon. "Phew! That was a close one!" Pascal chimes, putting his hand up to his forehead. He falls backward, passing out in the sand.

Lazlo slowly walks over to Pascal, staring down at his passed-out brother. "Uh…I think Pascal is dead," Lazlo tells Vidcund.

Vidcund shrugs and looks him over. "Eh, he'll wake up once we run the sprinklers," he informs him. Lazlo nods, seemingly satisfied by his answer, and walks into the house. Vidcund looks out at the city, the desert stretching as far as the eye can see. Vidcund holds his gaze on Tesla Court and gives a small sigh.

"Hey! Curious!" a familiar voice shouts behind him. Vidcund freezes when he sees Loki walk onto the lot.

"Oh great!" Vidcund groans when he finds the physicist only a few feet away from him, "What do _you_ want? Do you want to yell at me for leaving with two napkins in my pocket because that somehow ruined your wedding?" Vidcund fires at him, "Well, go ahead! At this point, nothing could surprise me!" he exclaims, throwing his arms out.

Loki steps forward in silence, his expression somewhat uneasy. Loki sighs, brushes his palm against the side of Vidcund's face, leans forward, and kisses him. Vidcund stands stationary, seemingly numb, his eyes widening in shock. Loki slowly steps away, cautiously staring at his rival, the plant biologist's mouth now agape as he stands there speechless.

"Uh…gotta go!" Loki chimes, nervously stepping back a few feet before racing off the lot. Vidcund watches as Loki races down Cover Up Road, leaving him frozen and stunned.

Vidcund's mind races, _"What the hell was that?!"_ he screams. Vidcund slowly steps into the house, his legs stiff as he steps into the living room. He stops next to the bookshelf and looks down at Lazlo, who is sitting down in front of the television.

"-Loki," Vidcund confirms with a nod, his eyes still wide, "He'll cheat first."


	2. Astronomical Consequences

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Two_ _– Astronomical Consequences_

One week later, Vidcund is sitting at the kitchen counter staring intently out the back window. Vidcund flips through the newspaper in his hands a few times, pretending to read it as Pascal walks by. Once Pascal exits into the hallway, he puts the paper down and narrows his eyes down the Road to Nowhere. Finding the road completely empty, Vidcund sighs and impatiently taps his fingers against the countertop.

"Man Vid, you've been in the kitchen since this morning," Lazlo states, taking a seat on the stool next to his brother. "What gives?"

"Uh, it's for an experiment," Vidcund quickly lies, gazing behind his brother's shoulder out the window. "I'm testing a consistency theory." Vidcund's eyes widen slightly as he sees a taxi driving down the road. He throws the newspaper down on the counter and immediately springs up from his seat. "-Gotta go write down the results!"

Vidcund races out the door and down the hill, stopping once he reaches the main road. He turns to the left and heads down the street, trying to appear as casual as possible. Vidcund passes by his sister, Jenny's, house. Her husband, Pollination Tech #9, is doing yardwork on the lawn. He smiles and waves at the scientist when he sees him.

"Hey Vid!" Pollination Tech #9 greets.

Vidcund nods and waves back as he continues down the Road to Nowhere.

"You ungrateful brat!" the town nutcase, General Buzz Grunt, yells at his son, Ripp, in front of the community center. Ripp is standing on the roof of the clothing shop. "Get down here this instant, or you're in a whole heap of trouble!"

Vidcund quickly moves pass them and crosses to the other side of the street. _"Almost there…"_ Vidcund mutters to himself, his destination in sight.

"Hello Vidcund," Olive Specter chimes, popping up in front of him. Vidcund steps back when he sees her. "Just the man I wanted to see," she coos, "Do you want to come with me back to my house and see my new pantry?"

"Uh…no thanks, I'm kinda busy right now," Vidcund declines, "Maybe some other time," he nervously adds, carefully stepping around her.

Olive turns away from the scientist and snaps her fingers. "Drat! I guess I'll just have to wait until next week to add a scientist to my collection!"

Vidcund arrives at Tesla Court and walks up the side street. Vidcund sighs as he arrives at the front door, taking a few deep breaths as he stands on the front porch. " _Here goes nothing,_ " he tells himself, his arms shaking. Vidcund rings the doorbell.

Circe answers the door. "Vidcund? _Really_?" she states, wearing her everyday attire, "It's only been a week! I'm still satisfied with my husband."

"Relax, I'm not here to see you," Vidcund snaps, clearly insulted, "Loki borrowed something from me and I need to get it back before work tomorrow," he claims. Circe shrugs and steps aside, allowing Vidcund entrance into the house.

Vidcund zooms in before she can change her mind and heads upstairs. He speeds down the hallway and enters the bedroom, where he finds Loki unpacking his suitcase. The mad scientist is turned away from him.

"Circe? Do you know where my toothbrush went?" Loki calls over his shoulder, hanging onto a stack of neatly folded clothes. He turns around, now noticing Vidcund standing behind him. Loki's facial expression softens, his icy demeanor instantly changing when he sees him. Loki sets down his items.

"Really?" Vidcund speaks up, stepping towards him, "You couldn't tell it was me? There's like a fifty-pound difference between us!"

Loki scrunches his forehead. "What are you doing here, Vidcund?"

"Gee, I don't know," Vidcund begins, wandering closer, "Maybe it's because you kissed me last week before you left for your honeymoon and I'm trying to figure out what the hell it means!" he cries.

Loki turns away from Vidcund and redirects his attention to his suitcase. He unpacks a few more shirts. "It didn't mean anything, now go away," he orders.

"Oh no you don't!" Vidcund barks; his face burning, "I didn't walk all the way over here from my house for you to give me bullshit. Now why did you do that?"

Loki sighs and throws down his clothes, throwing his hands up as he turns away from his suitcase, visibly frustrated. "Why didn't you stop it?" he snarls.

Vidcund tilts his forehead. "Stop what?" he wonders.

"My wedding!" Loki shouts, "You knew I didn't want to get married! You could've stopped this whole thing!"

Vidcund crosses his arms. "Since when is it my responsibility to break up your relationship?" he counters, "If you didn't want to marry her then you should've said something! Or is it my responsibility to make words come out of your mouth, too?" Vidcund states sarcastically.

"God, you're such a jerk," Loki coos, moving towards him. Vidcund nudges Loki away from him and shakes his head.

"No!" Vidcund says firmly, "We're done until you end this. I'm not being your mistress!"

Loki throws his arms out towards the ground, letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright."

"Good," Vidcund nods, seemingly satisfied by Loki's response, "Now I better get back home before my brothers start wondering where I went."

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund is sneaking through the doorway of his residence, the clock on the wall ringing out four times as he enters the main hallway. Vidcund steps into the kitchen, Pascal sitting up from his seat in the living room when he sees him. "Hey Vid! I'm glad you're here!" Pascal chimes, standing up from the chair and gesturing his brother over to him, "You can help me write this angry letter to SensoTwitch for ripping me off!"

"Uh…okay," Vidcund agrees, walking over to Pascal and taking a seat in front of the computer.

"Great! Now I'll rant, and you'll write it down," Pascal instructs, pacing around the living room, "'Dear jerk, you are disgusting. I can't believe that you would sink this low,'" Pascal begins, stopping briefly to watch Vidcund type this out. "'When I, Pascal Curious, purchased this product three days ago, I thought that I would receive the ultimate luxury experience, just like the people on the box. But when I finally opened and used your product, I was severely disappointed by what was lying underneath the surface,'" Pascal continues, pacing some more, "'First of all, I asked for dark gray, not charcoal, and second of all, your product was slightly askew. As one of your most loyal consumers, I demand that this atrocity does not go unpunished!" Pascal shouts, slamming his fist on the table.

Vidcund turns and looks up at Pascal, his face filled with confusion. "Uh, isn't this letter a bit too dramatic? What product are you complaining about anyway?" Vidcund wonders.

"Oh, this is for a pack of pens that I bought for forty-nine cents," Pascal answers calmly, "Yeah, I was not satisfied with the quality."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead slightly, unable to believe what he is hearing. "Isn't this kind of extreme for a pack of pens?"

"No!" Pascal argues, "Now let's hear what you got so far."

Vidcund turns back to the computer and stares at the blank document. "Uh…I didn't get any of it. The computer froze," he informs him.

"Damn it!" Pascal curses, snapping his fingers, "Now we gotta start all over! Okay, 'dear jerk-'"

" _Ding-dong!"_

"Oh my gosh, that's the door," Vidcund awes, sitting up from his seat. _"Thank God…"_ he mutters, giving a sigh of relief as he makes his way over to the foyer.

Vidcund opens the door, only to find Circe standing on their front porch, wearing her blue-stained, vomit-covered wedding dress. Circe smirks when she sees Vidcund, her hand perched sassily on her hip.

"-Oh no," Vidcund mumbles.

"Hello Vidcund," Circe smugly greets, smiling deviously. "Is your brother home?"

Vidcund quickly shakes his head. "No, I think he's out," he tells her.

"Hey Vid!" Pascal shouts from the living room, "If that's Circe, tell her I'm not here!"

Vidcund turns back to Circe and gives a nervous laugh; the young woman narrows her eyes at him, sporting one of her signature glares.

"Well uh…I guess we have ghosts," Vidcund adds, anxiously playing with his hands.

"Really? Two scientific degrees and that's the best you can come up with?" Circe complains.

"Look Circe, don't blame Pascal for the dress. It's not his fault-" Vidcund begins.

"Oh, I don't blame Pascal," Circe crosses her arms, "I blame you."

Vidcund opens his mouth in shock, clearly in disbelief. "What? Why?" he wonders.

"Because you obviously put him up to this in your state of jealous rage!" Circe explains, "You'd been planning to sabotage our wedding from the very start!"

"What? I did no such thing!" Vidcund speaks up, "What are you even talking about?"

"Look Viddy," Circe begins, moving towards him, "I find it flattering that you still like me, but what you and I had is over," she claims, Vidcund staring at her bizarrely in the doorway, "I've moved on with someone much better than you. Can't you just be happy for me?"

"Ookay," Vidcund replies, unsure how he should react to her spiel.

Circe smirks. "Good," she replies, "But you know, if I ever get desperate, I might give you a call."

Vidcund narrows his eyes at her. "-Please don't."

Circe rolls her eyes and waves her hand down. "Anyway, because you and your idiot brother ruined my wedding, I would like an apology,"

"Alright," Vidcund says, folding his hands behind his back as he awkwardly shuffles his feet. "I'm sorry we showed up to a wedding that you invited us to."

"Very funny, Vidcund," Circe replies, perching her hand back on her hip, "But just so you know, it wasn't my idea to invite you to the wedding in the first place."

Vidcund tilts his head in confusion. "It wasn't?" he states.

"No," Circe shakes her head, "It was Loki's idea. Personally, I didn't want you guys there. You always find a way of messing things up," she explains. "Now back to my demands! I want a serious apology from you and your dingus brother," she lists off, "And I want to punch Pascal in the face."

"What?! Come on, Circe, don't you think you're overreacting?" Vidcund questions, "I mean, Pascal was sick, it's not his fault he threw up on you and ruined your wedding dress!" he argues.

"Oh yes, it is!" Circe snarls, pushing Vidcund to the side and heading through the doorway, "Now let me at him!"

Vidcund grabs Circe by the arm and holds her back. "No! You can't punch Pascal!"

"Why not?" Circe turns to the scientist, fire in her eyes as she tries to wiggle herself free from his clutches.

"Because uh…" Vidcund starts, looking around the room in a panic, "Because he's pregnant!" Vidcund cries. Circe immediately stopping in her tracks at this news.

Her face softens. " _He is_?" she squeaks. "Then why was he downing drinks at our wedding?"

"Well, uh…he didn't know he was pregnant until a few days ago, so that's why," Vidcund quickly spews, forcing a weak smile. "You should probably go now. I'm really glad we had this talk," he frantically continues, advancing her towards the door.

"Alright," Circe says uncertainly, turning back towards him, "But honestly Vidcund, you need to get over this. It's not every day that your ex-girlfriend gets to marry the love of her life."

"You really think Loki's the love of your life?" Vidcund asks, his stature freezing at this news.

Circe smiles and clasps her hands together, "I do."

Vidcund steps back; a ball of guilt forming in the pit of his stomach. A simple 'oh' is all Vidcund can muster. He watches as Circe carefully steps onto the front porch and walks away, the pain getting worse with each passing second.

…

"You did WHAT?!" Pascal cries, following Vidcund up the stairs onto the roof, a few hours after Circe's departure. The sky is growing dark outside.

"You heard me," Vidcund speaks up, reaching the black tiled roof with his older brother, "I told Circe you were pregnant."

"Why did you tell Circe that I'm pregnant?" Pascal yells, "That's like something I would do to you!"

"She was going to punch you in the face!" Vidcund argues, turning around to face Pascal, "I had to give her some reason not to!"

Pascal sighs and dramatically throws his arms down. "Well this is just great! Now we have to go along with the lie!" he shouts, "How are we going to keep this up? Do we even know how we're going to show gradual abdominal growth?" Pascal wonders, his tone slowly getting angrier, "What's going to happen nine months from now when _I don't have a baby_?!"

"Well, obviously, I didn't think that far ahead!" Vidcund cries.

"Damn it, Vid!" Pascal curses, narrowing his eyes at his brother, "See, this is your problem! You never think anything through!" he scolds him, "Actions have consequences you know!" Pascal shouts, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to look out this telescope to calm my nerves." Pascal walks to the telescope and leans down towards the lens. He takes a deep breath as he carefully looks through it.

Vidcund's eyes widen like saucers as a gigantic alien spaceship slowly rises above their house, hovering over the two scientists. Vidcund anxiously taps Pascal on the shoulder, scared out of his mind.

"Uh…Pascal?" Vidcund squeaks, staring up at the red and green flashing lights on the side of the spaceship.

Pascal puts his hand up and shoos him away. "Not now Vid, I'm trying to relax!"

Suddenly, Lazlo races across the sand and into the house, tightly holding a tin foil hat onto his head with his hand. "IT'S ALIENS! RUN!" he cries.

Pascal's body freezes as he slowly lifts his head up towards the sky, the giant silver alien spaceship hovering above him.

"Ooh…" he awes, his eyes opening in realization, "That explains a lot."

The alien spaceship moves forward, aiming a blue transporter beam at the two brothers. Vidcund quickly grabs onto the side of the house as Pascal latches onto the telescope. The blue beam blasts onto the roof, shining down on Pascal. The spaceship turns on its vacuum, attempting to suck up its chosen subject. Pascal screams as he loses his grip on the telescope and flies into the spaceship door.

"PASCAL!" Vidcund cries, watching as the spaceship hovers away, disappearing into the clouds.

…

Three hours later, the alien spaceship spits Pascal out on the side of Cover Up Road. Pascal groans and slowly stands up, inching his way back onto his property. Both Vidcund and Lazlo are waiting for him, standing on the front porch.

"So, how was it?" Vidcund wonders, nervously playing with his hands.

"Well, to put it bluntly, that's probably the most action I'm going to get in a while. But I did thoroughly enjoy meeting extraterrestrial life forms," Pascal replies, raising his finger in point. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to vomit!" Pascal pushes his brothers aside and runs into the house.

Lazlo turns to Vidcund, his face filled with concern. "You don't think he's pregnant, do you? I mean, that's usually what happens with alien abductions."

Vidcund turns to the side, hearing his older brother wrenching in the other room. "I'd say that's a safe bet."

Fifteen minutes later, all three of the Curious brothers are sitting in the main area. Lazlo is cooking macaroni and cheese while Pascal and Vidcund are watching the Nature Channel in the living room.

Vidcund smiles and turns to Pascal, giving an uneasy laugh. "Well, I guess we won't have to worry about lying to Circe anymore, huh?" he speaks up.

Pascal turns his head, glaring at his brother, his hand perched on his pregnant stomach. "I guess not," he groans.

"Yeah," Vidcund agrees, "But don't you think it's kind of funny how-?"

"-No," Pascal grumbles.

Vidcund sighs as he moves his hand down his own stomach, the guilt still present in his core. Vidcund slowly stands up from his seat and heads into his room. Vidcund shuts the door and takes a seat down at his desk, pulling out a piece of paper. He takes down a pen and begins to write: _"Dear Loki, I'm sorry, but I think it's time you and I part ways…forever..."_

Vidcund works long into the night, crossing out several words and sentences as he goes along. Finally, a few hours later, he is staring at his finished product. Vidcund writes the letter over once more, before folding it up and sticking it into an envelope. Vidcund seals the envelope with his saliva and exits out the back of his room.

Vidcund walks down the Road to Nowhere, the city dead silent as he heads down the road. Vidcund sighs and takes a deep breath, finding the air somewhat refreshing. A few minutes later, he approaches Tesla Court. Vidcund scans the area before turning the corner, his destination in sight.

All of a sudden, Vidcund stops, two figures catching his eye. The figures appear to be that of Loki and Crystal, who are hugging on the front porch of the Beaker residence. Vidcund quickly crouches down behind one of the bushes and watches the pair suspiciously. From that distance, he cannot tell if the hug was romantic or not.

"Have I been replaced?" Vidcund asks quietly into the air, although he knows there is no one close enough who can answer that question or even hear what he is saying.

Vidcund crouches down further, a spark of jealousy igniting in his stomach, completely washing away all the guilt that he felt before. Vidcund watches Crystal and Loki wave goodbye to one another, the young townie exiting the residence and cutting across the road.

Vidcund sighs as he looks down at the letter in his hands, his mind racing a mile a minute. Vidcund can now feel his hands almost burning through the envelope as he debates whether he should send it or not.

After a few moments and much deliberation, Vidcund sighs and tucks the letter back into his pocket. " _I guess this can wait until another day_ ," he confirms. Vidcund gets up from out of the bush and walks down the street back to his house, a new goal on the horizon.


	3. Workplace Competitors

This is the first time jump of the story. It takes place one year before Chapter One. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Twisted**

 _Chapter Three – Workplace Competitors_

"Tell me again why you're leaving?" Loki asks, watching as Vidcund packs a few more of his office supplies into a cardboard box on his desk. It is Monday afternoon at SimSanto Labs and almost everyone has left the office for the day.

Vidcund sighs as he looks away from his desk and turns to Loki. "I told you, I don't like working in this department," Vidcund reminds him, adjusting the sleeves on his lab coat, "Physics isn't really my thing. And if I stay here then that's all I'm going to be doing for the next five years of my life," he confesses, "Besides, you know how much I want to be a plant biologist."

"So transferring to the dead-end Biology Department is the way to go?" Loki questions, rolling his eyes as he crosses his arms, "You've lost your mind if you think that's a step up. You'd have better luck just staying here."

"Look, it's not just that, okay?" Vidcund presses further, "I'm cursed here!" he exclaims, eyeing the perplexed expression that has formed on Loki's face, "It just seems like every time I'm interested in someone, things always end up going haywire shortly after! Like that time with Cassandra, we were great friends, and then all of a sudden she stopped talking to me with no explanation why!"

"Huh," Loki states, moving his hand up to his chin ponderously, "How about that?"

 _Five Months Ago_

Loki is standing behind the proton accelerator at SimSanto Laboratory, watching as Vidcund and Cassandra Goth converse about their latest discoveries. Loki narrows his eyes at Cassandra as she laughs at one of Vidcund's jokes. _"Vidcund Curious, you will be mine, even if I have to secretly ruin someone else in the process!"_ Loki vows, ducking underneath the table as the two scientists walk by.

Vidcund stops in front of the table and places a few of his belongings on it, before turning back to Cassandra, continuing with their conversation. Loki scans the area before slowly reaching up and grabbing Vidcund's cell phone from the table. He slides it off the edge and into his hands, pressing down on a few of the buttons and bringing up Cassandra's number. Loki quietly laughs to himself as he blocks Cassandra's number before carefully placing Vidcund's phone back on the table.

"Good luck getting ahold of him now," he mutters.

 _Three Months Later_

Loki, Pascal, and another scientist, Craig, are standing in front of the water cooler discussing their latest findings. "-So that's how I discovered that I could make laundry detergent out of my own tears," Pascal completes, turning to Craig, who has a disgusted look on his face. Nearby, Loki is dully gazing into his cup. "What?" Pascal questions.

Suddenly, Vidcund and another fellow scientist, Cindy, walk past the group and head towards the end of the hall. Craig watches them briefly before lowering his voice to a whisper. "-I think the new girl may be keen on Vidcund," he comments, causing Loki to immediately wake up from his boredom.

Loki turns and looks down the hallway where Vidcund and Cindy are conversing, Cindy standing dangerously close to the young scientist. Loki crumples up his cup and tosses it into the trash before walking back to his desk, a devious smile forming on his face, a fresh plan on his mind.

Early the next morning, Loki arrives at SimSanto Labs and casually strolls in behind Cindy, dressed in his normal attire. Loki watches as Cindy places her belongings on her chair and exits into the bathroom. Loki steps forward, pulls several items out of his pockets, and inconspicuously tosses them into her purse. Loki then walks into the hallway and picks up the emergency wall phone. He presses the dial button.

"Hello? 911? I am a worker at SimSanto Labs and I have reason to suspect that someone is hoarding illegal drugs on this property," Loki tells them. He pauses to listen to the emergency attendant, "Who am I?" he responds. "I am Pascal Curious," Loki smirks.

A few hours later, all the employees of SimSanto Incorporated watch in shock as Cindy gets escorted out of the building, two cops holding her on either side. The police officer on the right is holding her purse, which is filled with illegal substances, while the other is holding Cindy's handcuffed arm.

Nearby, Loki is standing in front of the storage lockers, now wearing his work uniform, a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. Loki steps back a bit when he sees Vidcund walking past him, Loki quickly runs up to him and rests his arm on his shoulder. "Hey Vidcund, bummer about Cindy," Loki greets. Next to him, Vidcund looks miserable. "Who knew she was such a druggie? I wouldn't worry about it though, now she's locked away for good," Loki assures him, giving Vidcund a light pat on the back before heading to his desk.

 _Present Day_

Loki sighs as he pushes open the doors of the SimSanto Laboratory, feeling defeated after Vidcund left the Physics Department only a day prior. Loki steps into the hallway, stopping when he notices a large crowd of his coworkers gathering in front of Dr. Eric Santo's office. "What's going on?" Loki asks, standing off to the side next to Craig.

"I don't know," Craig answers, "Dr. Santo told us to come over here a few minutes ago; he says he has something really important to tell us."

Loki watches as his boss steps out of his office, followed by a young woman who looks vaguely familiar. The woman has long blonde hair and blue eyes and is wearing a scarlet pantsuit.

"Gather around, everyone!" Eric proclaims, stopping in front of his workers, who are standing in a half circle surrounding the pair. The young woman is standing next to Eric. "Now, I know we've had a lot of staffing changes these past few months with both Vidcund leaving for another department and Cindy getting arrested, but I am positive that this next change will be a good one," Eric beams, clasping his hands together and gazing at the crowd. "That being said, I would like to introduce to all of you, our new Marketing Manager, Crystal!"

Crystal steps forward and waves to the semicircle of scientists, holding a clipboard in her hands. "Hi everyone, I'm Crystal, and I'll be managing you guys this quarter," she greets, giving a warm smile. "I spent the last three years of my life getting my MBA at Sim State University. Before that, I graduated at the top of my class with a Bachelor's degree in Business with a concentration in marketing," she states, "Over the next quarter, I am going to be managing this lab, and hopefully, by the end of this first quarter, I will be able to make SimSanto the most profitable company in Strangetown," she enthusiastically says, gazing at her new coworkers. Crystal's eyes stop at Loki, who is staring dryly at his fingernails. Crystal cocks her forehead and glances at the scientist's nameplate. "Is there a problem, Mr. Beaker?"

Loki lifts his head up, immediately matching her glare. "It's Dr. Beaker," he corrects, "And I'm not taking orders from a twenty-five-year-old grad student who thinks she's all that," Loki snarls.

"Really?" Crystal says, placing a hand on her hip challengingly, "Then perhaps you should find another place of employment," she counters.

"Ooh!" Pascal coos next to Loki, he nudges Craig in the side with his elbow. "-I like her already," Pascal mutters.

"If there are no further questions, then everyone get back to work!" Crystal instructs the crowd, giving a few claps. Loki watches in astonishment as all his coworkers disperse and begin doing what they are told. Loki looks up and narrows his eyes at Crystal, who continues to stand triumphantly in front of Dr. Santo's office. Loki storms over to her and stares the young townie down.

"Listen sister, I don't know who you think you are, but I've been head of the Physics Department since this company was founded," Loki tells her, "so I'm the one in charge here!"

"Wow, you've been in charge a whole 365 days?" Crystal speaks up, her arms crossed as she looks up at him, clearly unfazed. "How _did_ you manage?"

"-It was 375 days, and it was _a lot_ , trust me!" Loki growls, "Anyway, the point is, this is my team and no newbie fresh out of grad school is going to change that. So I suggest you leave before you find yourself escorted out of the Physics Department by yours truly!" he warns.

"The Physics Department?" Crystal repeats, not skipping a beat, "You mean the one that I _manage_ now?" Crystal shakes her head and tisks, "Man, this is awkward."

"You don't even know anything about science!" Loki argues, "Why are you even in charge?"

"Dr. Santo didn't hire me because I know a lot about science, Loki, he hired me because I know a lot about business," Crystal reminds him, "And right now, that's what this company needs."

Loki shakes his head, stepping firmly forward. "No, it doesn't. I should know! I'm SimSanto's best employee!"

"Really?" Crystal states, tilting her head to the right, "Is that why the award wall is overflowing with pictures of some other guy's face?" she questions, gesturing to the gigantic Employee of the Month wall, which is filled with photos of Pascal.

Loki groans and slaps his forehead in frustration. "That is something I really don't want to talk about," he groans, watching as Crystal starts tapping her foot. "But trust me on this one, I am SimSanto's best and brightest, and I'm telling you right now, you're not going to last a second here."

"It's interesting that you would say that, because your ex-girlfriend seems to think otherwise," Crystal replies.

" _Circe_?" Loki chimes, seemingly disgusted by this news.

Crystal nods, adjusting her clipboard. "She's the one who recommended me, and she told me all about you," she states, Loki giving the new employee a death glare, "And just for the record, Mr. Beaker, I wasn't hired to be a cupcake. I'm not going to let you push me around."

"What?" Loki voices, a puzzled and slightly offended look on his face, "I never pushed Circe around-"

"Look, it doesn't matter okay?" Crystal states suddenly, "Because despite all that, I still know the kind of person that you are. You're someone who's used to getting everything you want in life," she says, taking a step towards him. "You just use your intellect to manipulate everyone into giving you what you're after," she reveals, slipping her pen back into the top of her clipboard, "But I'll have you know that I graduated at the top of my class twice and have worked extensively in the field of business, so manipulation tactics don't work on me-"

"Oh yeah?" Loki counters, glaring as he moves towards her.

"-Intimidation doesn't work on me either, so you're out of luck, Mr. Beaker," Crystal adds, giving a small smirk as she remains completely composed in front of him.

Loki scans her over and shakes his head. "God, you're annoying, but you're still nothing compared to Vidcund," he states.

"Where did that come from?" Crystal responds, clearly confused, "That mention was so misplaced, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a thing for him." Loki's eyes widen at this accusation.

A few minutes later, Loki storms into Dr. Santo's office and pounds his fist down on the magnolia table. "Crystal needs to go!" Loki cries, "I demand that you fire that woman this instant!"

Eric waves Loki away, not bothering to look up from his paperwork. "I'm not firing her, she's a valuable asset to this company."

"Based on what? Her three years at clown college?" Loki counters, "Anyone with half a brain could get a 4.0 at Sim State-" Crystal clears her throat. Loki turns around, noticing her standing in the doorway, a sassy smirk on her face.

"What was that, Mr. Beaker?" she states, stepping towards him.

"You're a joke, sister," Loki tells the young townie, walking past her towards his desk. "Stay away from me."

…

Later that same week, Loki is working at his desk, drawing up a fresh blueprint of what he hoped would be his newest invention. Loki slowly places down his pencil when he hears someone approach his desk. Around him, all the other scientists put down their work and prepare for the scene to unfold. Crystal clears her throat and taps her foot, holding her clipboard up against her chest.

"Tell me, Mr. Beaker," she begins, staring down at the mad scientist, "Tell me why every time I hear a complaint from H.R., it's regarding you," she commands.

Loki yawns and leans back in his chair, propping his legs against his desk as he flashes Crystal a smug smile. "Look Crystal, I know you think people don't like me, but that's only because you haven't gotten to know me well enough," he reasons.

Crystal glares and cocks her forehead. "Believe me, Mr. Beaker, I know all I need to know about you…and _then_ some."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Please! If you'd really gotten to know me, then you would know all about how pleasant I can be."

Crystal raises her eyebrow, a glare of disbelief blaring on her face. "You're joking, right?"

"No," Loki says, getting up from out of his seat. He walks over to Crystal and grabs the complaint letter; Loki scans it over. "For instance, all these criticisms could be seen as nothing more than a bunch of friendly compliments," he states, squinting his eyes at the piece. Crystal watches as Loki gives a small laugh and crumples up the piece of paper. He tosses it carelessly into the trashcan. "-Nice handwriting," he remarks, before plopping back down into his seat.

Crystal narrows her eyes at him, "What you do mean by that?"

Loki sighs and stands up once more, moseying his way over to her. "Well, it doesn't take a genius to see that you clearly filed that complaint against me," he explains, "Not to mention all those other complaints, such as 'Loki is difficult to work with', 'Loki is extremely unpleasant to be around', and my personal favorite, 'Loki put refrigerator magnets in the microwave.'"

"-Actually, that one was me," Pascal speaks up from across the room.

Loki takes a step towards Crystal, standing only a few feet away from the townie. "Look, my point is, you're a smart girl, Crystal," he begins, leaning down and gazing intensely into her eyes. Loki lowers his voice to a hushed whisper, "-But don't start something you can't finish," he warns.

"-Oh, I can finish," Crystal stares firmly back, "But I don't think you can start," she remarks, reclipping her pen to her clipboard and stepping backward, the pair giving each other one final glare before they part ways.

Once Crystal exits the room, Loki turns towards his desk, his head rushing a mile a minute as he plops back down in his chair. _"She's trying to outplay me…"_ he thinks to himself, a slight smirk spreading on his face, _"…I kinda like that."_

…

Three weeks later, both Loki and Crystal have been called into Dr. Santo's office for they were told was an urgent meeting. Eric sighs as he sits down in his velvet armchair, staring at the two feuding employees that are sitting across from him at his desk. Loki and Crystal are sitting next to each other, but they have moved their chairs as far away from one another as they possible can. Both Loki and Crystal have their arms crossed.

"It has come to my attention that the two of you are still not getting along," Eric begins, bringing his hands together and letting out another heavy sigh as he stares at the pair.

"Yeah, well, Crystal's clearly the problem, so you should fire her," Loki replies, not bothering to even look at him. "Plus, I'm pretty sure she stole soaps from the bathroom."

"I'm not, he shouldn't, and how would you even know that?" Crystal speaks up next to him.

"That doesn't matter. I'm not going to fire either one of you," Eric states, waving his hands up, "Frankly, we just don't have the money in the budget to replace anyone right now," he reiterates, "But you guys' little feud has become a problem for the other workers. It's creating a negative workplace environment, which causes everyone's work to suffer," he explains, "In order to fix this company and get it back on its feet, you two must learn to get along," Eric adds, gesturing at the pair to join together with his hands.

Loki cocks his head, scrunching his eyebrows suspiciously. "Are you saying we should hook up?"

"Oh God no. _No_ ," Eric reemphasizes, "Believe me, I wouldn't wish that atrocity on either one of you," he clarifies, "But you two need to start being more positive and respectful towards one another. In fact, let's start right now," he chimes, turning towards his first specimen, "Loki, I want you to say something nice about Crystal."

"Uh, okay," Loki states, giving a small sigh. He scans Crystal over, narrowing his eyes at his subject as he struggles to come up with something in his brain. "-She's got a nice shirt, I guess…if you like purple crap," Eric raises his eyebrow, warningly. "-Which I do!" Loki quickly states, "I actually like the color purple," he explains, turning away from Crystal. "The book was good, too."

"Good," Eric nods, seemingly satisfied by Loki's answer. "Now Crystal, you say something nice about Loki back."

"Oh come on! You gave her the easier task!" Loki outbursts.

Crystal turns to Loki and flashes him a glare. "Is that why I'm struggling so hard to come up with something?" she counters. Eric glares at her warningly. "-Okay, fine," Crystal says, turning back to Loki, "You're clearly a well-educated individual." Loki nods, agreeing with her statement.

"Alright, that seemed to go well," Eric says, clasping his hands together as he sits up in his seat. "-Keep that up for at least another quarter. If there are no additional questions, you guys are free to go."

"-Thank God!" Crystal mutters, standing up from her seat.

"-Oh, and Loki? Pack up your desk, you're moving to the second-floor lab," Eric instructs, catching the mad scientist off-guard.

Loki turns back around and faces his boss, visibly stunned. "What?! Why?" he squeaks.

"Well, there have been numerous complaints from the other scientists," Eric explains, Crystal stopping in the doorway, "And Circe threatened to sue if I didn't separate the two of you after you guys' break-up," he explains further, "I've been meaning to move you up there anyway, since Vidcund left that empty seat. You'll take the desk next to her," he exclaims, gesturing up at Crystal.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Loki cries, his face flushing slightly. "I'm your best scientist, I give you results! I've been working here since this company was founded; I practically _built_ that lab!" he shouts, "If anyone should move, it should be Circe!" Loki cries, feeling weaker by the minute. Across the room, Crystal watches sympathetically as her rival crumbles.

"We can't move Circe, it would mess up her entire team and cut down productivity by three percent," Eric tells Loki, "Besides, you're a loner scientist. It makes more sense to move you."

"Unbelievable!" Loki throws his arms out, "This whole meeting wasn't about the two of us not getting along, it was so you could transition me into a demotion!"

"I'm sorry Loki," Eric sighs, "But it has to be done."

Loki steps back, his body still in shock as he struggles to process what is happening. Loki brings his hand up to his chin, trying his best to hold back his tears. Loki takes a deep breath and races out of the office, Crystal still watching him from the window.

Loki runs out the back door of the building and heads towards the dumpster, dropping to his knees when he arrives there; he bursts out crying.

A few minutes later, Loki slowly walks back into the building, feeling physically drained and defeated. He drags his feet up the steps, trying to mentally prepare himself for the pain that is to come. _"God, why couldn't Santo demote me at the end of the day? Then I wouldn't have to clean out my desk in front of the other idiots! I can just imagine what Pascal is going to tell Vidcund…"_

Loki steps onto the second floor, freezing in place when he sees all his stuff already situated on his new desk. Loki carefully walks forward, clearly flabbergasted, as he eyes the items on his desk, Crystal awkwardly standing behind it. She steps forward, her hands clasped behind her back as she shuffles her feet, a small smile on her face.

"I uh – I thought I would spare you the humiliation of moving," Crystal elaborates once their eyes meet.

Loki moves forward, his eyes still stained with tears as he walks over to her. He throws his hands around Crystal, pulling her into a warm embrace, Crystal stiffening a bit at his touch. "I'm sorry I'm such a dipwad," he whispers into the silence.

Crystal sighs as she consolingly pats him on the back a bit. "It's okay," she whispers, wrapping her arms around him and returning the hug, the two of them the only sims in sight. Crystal pulls Loki back a bit and gazes genuinely into his eyes. She smiles, "Welcome to the second floor, Dr. Beaker."


	4. New Roommates

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Four – New Roommates_

"My first three years in high school were pretty great," Pascal recalls, lying down on red velvet colored psychiatrist-styled chair, "It wasn't until I became a senior that I faced my first bullying problem. You know, everyone likes to talk about how much General Buzz used to beat up Vidcund and me in high school, but no one ever talks about what happened the day he beat up Lazlo…"

" _Die bully!" a teenaged Pascal cries, as he punches Buzz in the stomach near the back of the schoolyard. Vidcund is punching Buzz in the shoulder while Lazlo is cowering behind the tree, physically beat, their entire class watching the fight behind him._

"Once Buzz beat up Lazlo, the two of us decided to take a stand," Pascal reminisces, staring up at the ceiling, "The sad thing was, even with both Vidcund and I punching our hardest, we still couldn't take down Buzz-"

"Uh, sir?" the furniture salesman states, stepping up behind the Curious brother, his nametag reading: 'Hello, My Name is Bob.' "Do you want to buy the chair or not?" he wonders.

Pascal shakes his head, snapping out of the memory. "Oh," Pascal sits up and glances at the pink price tag that is attached to lounge chair. "Yeah, okay," he nods.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Pascal is walking along the Road to Nowhere, whistling a happy tune as he gazes around the desert with his hands in his pockets. Pascal stops in his tracks when he sees a familiar sim standing in the corner of the Road to Nowhere and Tesla Court.

"Loki!" Pascal cries, waving his hands wildly at the scientist from across the road, "Hey Loki! It's me, Pascal!" Loki turns away from him, waving the sudden distraction away with his hand. "You know, Pascal from work?!" Pascal shouts louder, "Yoohoo! Look over here!" Loki doesn't budge. "Okay fine, I'll just come over there!" Pascal yells.

Pascal runs across the street and heads towards Loki, now noticing a mysterious other sim standing next to his co-worker. Pascal stops in front of the pair and smiles, giving them a small wave. "Hey Loki, what are you up to?" Pascal asks his rival, immediately turning to the other sim before he can respond. Pascal looks the sim over, finding his choice of hair and clothing intriguing. "Who's this?" he asks suddenly.

"This, _Pascal_ , is Nervous," Loki states reluctantly, "He's our…roommate," he says, stroking his chin. "Yeah, that's a good lie," Loki mumbles under his breath.

"Oh. Hi Nervous, I'm Pascal," Pascal greets, holding his hand out.

"-Don't talk to the test subject!" Loki barks, "I mean-roommate. You know, cause he lives with us?" Loki quickly recovers, "Yeah, Circe and I have decided to rent some of our rooms out so more people can be exposed to our sophisticated lifestyle."

"Ah, marital problems already? Can't say I'm surprised," Pascal remarks, "Does this mean I win the bet?"

Loki scrunches his forehead. "What bet?" he wonders.

Pascal steps back, suddenly realizing that he's talking to Loki. He looks down at the ground and starts fiddling with his hands. "You know, the one that doesn't exist?" Pascal completes, giving a nervous laugh. "So, you seem cool," Pascal tells Nervous, "Maybe we can hang out sometime."

"-No," Loki swiftly cuts Nervous off before he can respond, "I don't think so. He's going to be really busy, trust me."

Pascal crosses his arms over his chest, a peculiar stare on his face. "Well, that doesn't sound shady at all," he comments, narrowing his eyes at Loki. Pascal turns back to Nervous, his pleasant demeanor instantly returning. "So I guess I'll see you around!" Pascal waves, before turning around and heading back to his house.

…

"Vidcund? VIDCUND!" Pascal shouts, bursting open the front door of their estate.

"God Pascal, what is it?" Vidcund groans, groggily stepping out of his bedroom and rubbing his tired eyes. Vidcund slowly walks over to his brother, the legs of his sweatpants dragging against the floor.

"Loki got a new roommate and you have to meet him!" Pascal explains, his eyes shining, "I already met him, his name is Nervous. I wanted to hang out with him, but Loki seemed rather against the idea."

Vidcund yawns and rubs his eye once more. "Then maybe you should stay away from him."

"What? Are you kidding? The fact that Loki doesn't want me around him only makes me want to hang out with Nervous more! Honestly Vidcund, don't you know anything about psychology?" Pascal questions.

"-A little," Vidcund mutters, "But why do you need me to come?"

"So you can distract Loki, duh!" Pascal states, as if it were obvious. "For some reason he only lets me in his house if you're there. Hmm…I wonder why that is?" Pascal says, bringing his hand up to his chin ponderously.

Vidcund quickly steps forward, his eyes widening. "No use pondering that over now, let's go!" Vidcund exclaims, pushing Pascal towards the door.

…

One walk down the Road to Nowhere later, Pascal and Vidcund are stepping onto the front porch of the Beaker estate. Vidcund sighs as he turns to Pascal, who is just about to ring the doorbell. "I don't know about this, Pascal," Vidcund speaks up, clearly uneasy, "Are you sure it's a good idea to leave Lazlo alone for this long?"

Pascal rings the doorbell and waves his hand down. "Relax Vid, I'm sure he's fine."

Meanwhile, back at the house, Lazlo is fast asleep on his bed. Two burglars are holding the bed up steadily, slowly moving it out the side door. Lazlo turns on his side and snores, still in a deep slumber.

Back at the Beaker residence, Loki swings open the front door, his face falling when he sees Pascal standing on the other side of it. "What do you want, Pascal?" he groans, a slight irritation in his voice.

"We want to see your roommate and welcome him to the neighborhood!" Pascal exclaims. Behind him, Vidcund looks uncomfortable.

"-No."

" _Come on_!" Pascal urges, stepping forward.

Loki crosses his hands in front of his chest. "No," he states firmly.

"Well, that's too bad, cause we're coming in anyway," Pascal says, pushing his way into the house. He steps into the living room and smiles. "Oh hi, Circe!" Loki rolls his eyes.

"Are you going to come in too, dingus?" Loki wonders, staring up at the scientist that is still standing in the doorway.

"Can I?" Vidcund asks wondrously.

Loki shrugs and steps aside. "-Knock yourself out."

…

"Wow, that Nervous is quite the guy!" Pascal beams, as he and Vidcund walk down the Road to Nowhere later that afternoon. "Do you think that's his real name?" he wonders.

"I don't know," Vidcund says as the pair turns the corner and heads up Cover Up Road, "Maybe it's a nickname or something-Oh my gosh!" Vidcund exclaims, stopping in his tracks when he sees their house, "What happened here?!"

The two brothers step forward and eye the beaten down structure. A few of the windows are cracked and the door is ripped off its hinges. The shrubbery is a complete mess and has been stomped on as a bunch of muddy boot prints lead into the house.

"We've been robbed… _during_ the day!" Vidcund cries, turning away from the tarnished shrubbery and grabbing Pascal by the shoulders, "Who does that?!" he shouts, panickily shaking Pascal by the shoulders.

A few feet behind them, Lazlo wakes up, lying stomach-down in the sand where the robbers left him. Lazlo looks around at the destruction. "-Huh," he chimes, clearly dumb-founded, "Imagine that."

"I don't understand, why didn't you stop them?" Vidcund asks, staring down at his younger brother.

Lazlo shrugs. "I would've tried, but it was nap time."

Vidcund groans and slaps his forehead. "See? I told you we shouldn't have left him home alone!"

"Vidcund, he's twenty-five years old," Pascal begins, hoping to cease his brother's glares, "If we can't leave him alone now, we never will."

"Unbelievable!" Vidcund outbursts, "Now we're out hundreds of dollars!"

"Now, now, I'm sure they didn't take that much," Pascal replies, the brothers dispersing into the scene of the crime. Vidcund steps into the kitchen while Lazlo makes his way to the nearest bedroom. Pascal sighs and moseys on into the living room. He grabs the television remote off the computer table and squats down. Pascal falls to the floor, the chair missing from its usual spot.

Pascal scans the area, looking down at the empty floor beneath him, shocked. "Well, that's weird," he states, aiming the remote and pressing the power button. Pascal gazes up, only to realize that the television is gone as well, the white-painted wall completely bare in front of him. Pascal turns towards the kitchen, "Vid!" he calls.

Vidcund enters the room, carrying one of their steel pans, which now has a hole punched in the bottom of it. "What?" he asks.

"Either I'm going crazy, or the robbers took our entire living room set," Pascal tells him.

Lazlo steps into the room, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Well, they took everything in my room," Lazlo informs them, "Even the toilet's gone! We're going to have to pee in the hole now," Lazlo says, crossing his arms in front of his torso, "-Not that I'm complaining. It actually saves me a lot of effort."

"Oh God, what are we going to do?" Vidcund cries, on the verge of a panic attack, "We don't have the money to replace this stuff!"

The Curious brothers sit in silence, deep in thought, as each of them try to come up with a plan to resolve this mess. "Hey, I know!" Pascal speaks up, standing up from his chair and turning to his brothers, "When I went by Loki's house earlier, he told me that he was renting. We could live there!" he states, his face beaming at this idea, "I'm sure we have enough money to rent a room-"

"-Oh no," Vidcund interrupts, his arms crossed, "I am _not_ living at the Beaker residence! Those people are nutcases!"

"Come on Vid, where's your sense of adventure?" Pascal chimes, "Besides, we'll only be there until we can replace our stuff, which'll only be a couple of days or a month tops," he nods.

Vidcund looks to Pascal and Lazlo, who are both staring at him with hopeful grins. Vidcund lets out a heavy sigh. "Fine," he grumbles, "But this was _your_ idea, not mine."

…

A few hours later, the Curious brothers are standing on the front porch of the Beaker estate, each of them holding what was left of their belongings. Pascal steps forward, excitedly turning to his brothers. "Well, here goes nothing!" he beams.

"Ugh, don't remind me," Vidcund groans, as Pascal rings the doorbell.

Loki swings open the door, appearing more irritated than before. "What do you want, dingus?" he snarls at Pascal. Loki shifts his eyes, now noticing Vidcund and Lazlo standing behind Pascal as well. "Or, er… _dinguses_ ," he quickly corrects.

"Hello Loki, if that _is_ your real name," Pascal begins, pointing his finger in Loki's face; the villain raises an eyebrow. "We'd like to rent a room, please," Pascal states confidently, sporting a large smile. Behind him, Vidcund is hugging his belongings to his chest, looking scared out of his mind.

Loki narrows his eyes at his colleague. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Remember when I came by here earlier and you told me that you were renting rooms to people…you know, people like _Nervous_?" Pascal recalls, placing a hand on his hip as he continues to stand triumphantly in front of his rival, "Or was that just a lie to cover up a terrible, inhumane secret? Wait, don't tell me-" Pascal claims, holding his hand out in front of Loki's face. Pascal reaches into his pocket and takes out a Nokia cell phone. He hovers his finger over the call button, "-We'll just let the feds decide!"

Loki looks up at the doorframe, before grabbing the cell phone and throwing it into the crater. Pascal watches the phone fall into the sand, stunned. "Well, thank goodness that was Vidcund's phone."

"What?!" Vidcund cries out.

Pascal smiles and waves it off. "Eh, we'll get it later. So, can we rent a room here or not?" he states, turning his attentions back to Loki.

Loki folds his arms and huffs. "Fine. You three dorks can rent a room here," he replies reluctantly, "Just don't Curious it up!"

"Ooh, it's a verb now!" Pascal awes, turning to his brothers. Pascal nods in approval as he steps into the house, Lazlo following close behind him. Loki eyes Vidcund as he steps through the doorway. Vidcund stops once they make eye contact with each other.

"Why do you dorks need to stay here anyway?" Loki asks him, "What happened to your house?"

"We were robbed this afternoon while Pascal and I were over here," Vidcund reveals, clenching onto his belongings, "The robbers took pretty much everything we own, but surprisingly, they didn't steal any of my clothes."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Loki states sarcastically. He rolls his eyes, "I guess toilet-chic wasn't in this year."

Vidcund walks forward, attempting to catch up with his brothers, but Circe steps in his path. Vidcund nervously fiddles with his clothes when he sees her. "Uh, are you sure you're okay with us staying here?" he asks.

"Are you paying us?" Circe wonders.

Vidcund nods.

"Then I don't care!" Circe replies, grabbing Vidcund by the arm, "Now come on, I'll show you guys to your room."

…

"So let me get this straight," Vidcund begins a few minutes later, staring down at the queen-sized bed in the Beaker's medieval-style guest room, "we're all going to share one bed? That doesn't really seem feasible…" he mutters.

"Of course it is!" Pascal chimes in, "You and I can just sleep side-by-side normally and Lazlo will sleep perpendicular by our feet."

"Eh, works for me," Lazlo shrugs. Suddenly, Lazlo's stomach starts grumbling. He groans and places his hand over his aching stomach. Lazlo turns to Circe. "Hey, can I cook dinner in your kitchen? I'm great at making group meals, so I can easily make enough for everyone."

Circe raises her head up a bit, shocked, seemingly pleased by Lazlo's request. "Yes," she answers, astoundedly, "Yes, you can," she awes, stepping out of the room after him.

" _Oh my gosh, I'm going to eat real food, not some low-quality crap that Loki or I usually make!_ " she screams excitedly in her mind as she trails Lazlo down the stairs.

An hour later, all the scientists are situated at the Beaker's dining room table. Vidcund stares down at his overly-extravagant plate before gazing up at the dimly-lit room around him.

"Hey, where's Nervous?" Pascal wonders, situated at one end of the dining table across from Loki. Pascal points down at the empty table setting that is set up at the chair next to him.

Loki stares down at Pascal, "Nervous doesn't eat with us, he doesn't like people," he states, aggressively grabbing a breadstick and taking a bite. Pascal shrugs his shoulders.

"Neither do you, what's the big deal?" Pascal asks.

"Yeah, but that's for an entirely different reason," Loki explains, "It's cause nobody's good enough for me," Loki states, glancing briefly at Vidcund. The biologist shyly looks away.

"So anyway," Pascal begins again, continuing with his story, "I just told Vidcund that we would stay with my best friend in the whole world…Loki," Pascal tells Circe.

"-And I answered the door and said, 'Who the hell are you'?" Loki interrupts, narrowing his eyes at Pascal, the glare not leaving his face.

"Lazlo, this is really good," Circe speaks up next to Loki, taking another bite of smoked salmon, "I don't think I've ever eaten this much in one sitting."

"Careful dear, we all know Lazlo doesn't have a history of washing his hands," Loki mutters, nonchalantly taking a sip of his red wine.

Nearby, Lazlo seems completely unfazed by the mad scientist's comment. "Thanks Circe, I've always enjoyed cooking. It allows me to be creative and it keeps Pascal away from the stove."

"You got that right!" Pascal chimes, giving Lazlo a high-five from across the table. Loki groans and shakes his head, his eyes trailing to Vidcund who is awkwardly picking at his food next to him.

"Are you not hungry?" Loki wonders, staring down at Vidcund.

"No, I'm still shaken up from the robbery," he replies, picking at his food once more. Loki tilts his forehead and leans forward in his seat.

He takes another sip of wine. "That's too bad," Loki mumbles.

"Hey! You guys kept my potato!" Pascal chimes, gesturing to his wedding present on the kitchen counter, "You know, I genetically modified that one myself so that it's pink on the inside."

"Why would do you that?" Loki wonders, moving his foot out underneath the table. He starts rubbing his foot against Vidcund's leg.

"Because pink is cooler, duh!" Pascal replies, looking up at his brother, who appears rather stiff. "Vid, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Vidcund squeaks, tensing up some more. "I uh-just have to use the bathroom," Vidcund states suddenly, quickly getting up from his seat and heading into the hallway, clearly startled.

The doorbell rings.

"Ooh! I'll get it!" Pascal replies, standing up in his seat.

"No, you won't," Loki grunts. Loki swiftly gets up and answers the door, his smiling sister on the other side of it. "Erin?" Loki calls out, his face filled with confusion, "What are you doing here?"

Erin rolls back on her heels, dressed surprisingly fancier than usual; she is wearing a pink knee-length, sleeveless dress with matching heels. "I was just in the neighborhood and – Oh my gosh, you didn't tell me you guys were having dinner!" Erin exclaims, immediately shifting her focus to the kitchen. She races into the house and takes a seat at the table across from Lazlo. "Let's eat!" she cheers, flashing an enthusiastic smile. Erin leans across the table and gives Lazlo a wink. "Hey Lazlo," she flirts.

Across the room, Loki sighs and rolls his eyes, still leaning up against the side of the open entrance door. "-Whatever."

Suddenly, Pascal stands up in his seat, holding his stomach in pain. "Oh God!" he moans, racing past Loki and into the hallway, bringing his hand to his mouth. Pascal runs into the bathroom and crouches down in front of the toilet, his stomach flip-flopping, feeling sicker by the minute.

"Are you okay?" Vidcund wonders, cautiously stepping into the room. Vidcund kneels next to Pascal, clearly concerned for his brother.

"Yeah," Pascal musters, his face sweating. His stomach rumbles. "-I mean no!" Pascal quickly corrects, before wrenching forward and throwing up into the toilet bowl. "Aww man!" Pascal groans, staring down at what was previously his dinner.

"It's okay," Vidcund states, gently patting his brother on the back, "You can always eat leftovers later…unless it was the food."

Pascal shakes his head. "No, it's the pregnancy," Pascal whispers, leaning towards Vidcund. "Now, can you help me up? I feel really weak."

"Yeah, of course," Vidcund responds, helping his brother up off the tile and walking him up the stairs to their room. Unbeknownst to them, Loki has been watching the entire display from the first-floor hallway.

…

Five hours later, Pascal is fast asleep in the guest bedroom, Lazlo at his feet, as Vidcund struggles to fall asleep next to him. Pascal flops over on the bed and lets out a heavy snore. "No, no. You have to keep it plugged in if you want to see it dance!" Pascal sleep-talks. Vidcund scrunches his forehead and moves slightly away from him.

Vidcund sighs as he pulls the covers over his torso. He gazes up at the gray popcorn ceiling. "I'm never going to be able to sleep here," he mumbles. Vidcund slowly slips out of bed and exits into the hallway, gently closing the door behind him. Vidcund quietly maneuvers through the dimly-lit hallway and carefully heads down the stairs. Vidcund sighs as he plops himself down on the couch in the living room. He runs his hand up against the velvet-lining. "-Not bad," he mumbles.

Vidcund eases into the piece of furniture a bit before picking up a magazine that is on the adjacent coffee table. "Hmm…Evil Science Weekly," Vidcund mutters, opening the magazine and scanning the first article, "This week's topic is 'Ruining Mankind'?" Vidcund questions before giving a small shrug, "Well, I guess it fits their message."

After a few minutes of reading Evil Science Weekly's dribble, Vidcund closes the magazine and tosses it back onto the table. "I want to go home," he states.

"If you want to go home, then why did you come here in the first place?" Loki's voice rings out behind him. Startled, Vidcund quickly sits up on the couch and looks to his rival. Loki sits down next to him, carrying a mug in his hands.

"I didn't want to," Vidcund continues, "It was Pascal's idea. I would've been fine with sleeping on the counter…until I had to eat on it the next day," he shudders. "Besides, you make it seem like it's my fault that I don't have a backbone!"

"Of course it's your fault," Loki states, as if it were obvious, "Who else's fault would it be?" Vidcund groans and turns his head away from Loki, staring at the painting of flowers on the wall near the front door. "As much as you deny it, I think you like living here, Vidcund," Loki tells him, "After all, it gives you a chance to witness the creative genius in action!" Vidcund raises an eyebrow, "Don't think I'm not onto your ploy to steal my ideas and use them for your own scientific gain!"

"Yes," Vidcund rolls his eyes, "because the Electric Vomit Recycler will surely grant me a boatload of respect from the scientific community," he states sarcastically, "I'm sure tons of people vomit in their toilet, then look down at the aftermath and say, 'Hey, you know what? I really wish I could throw that up again!'" he mocks.

"Wow," Loki begins, staring at Vidcund unimpressed, "If I had feelings, that still wouldn't have hurt me," he says, placing his empty mug on the coffee table "But tell me, if you're such a genius, how come you don't have a house?"

Vidcund turns to Loki, narrowing his eyes in a huff. "I do have a house; it's just being investigated by the police."

"-And I'm sure that's going to take _years_ ," Loki replies, "Cops love to take their sweet time. If I was on the case, I would be able to solve it in three seconds flat," Loki brags, "but I've been too busy working on my Nobel-Prize-winning invention."

Vidcund crosses his arms and turns away from Loki. "Seems like that's not the only thing you've been busy doing this month," Vidcund mumbles.

Loki tilts his forehead, confused. "What do you mean by that?" he wonders.

"I saw you with Crystal the other day," Vidcund recalls, not bothering to look at him, "You seemed pretty into her."

"Nah, she's just a colleague," Loki speaks, waving it off, "Kind of like a borderline friend," he reiterates, moving forward. He places his hand on Vidcund's shoulder and lowers his voice to a whisper. "I'm pretty into you," he confesses, staring at him lovingly, "so you shouldn't feel bad about this whole thing."

"Really?" Vidcund squeaks, gazing into his eyes.

Loki nods. "Come here," Loki states, motioning Vidcund towards him. The pair lock lips as Nervous Subject walks up the basement stairs, freezing in place when he sees them. Vidcund nudges Loki in the shoulder, giving a deer caught in the headlights look, as he gestures to the man behind him.

Loki turns around and locks eyes with the wide-eyed test subject. " _Shit…_ " he softly curses.


	5. Blasphemy!

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Five – Blasphemy!_

"Oh God, he's going to tell someone! He's going to tell someone that we kissed!" Vidcund cries, pacing on the floor of Loki's bedroom the next morning. Loki is sitting down on his bed watching him, his face scrunched, appearing surprisingly unfazed by Vidcund's overreaction.

"Relax, Nervous isn't going to tell anyone…if he knows what's good for him," Loki mutters, turning towards the window.

"He better not, I don't want Circe to kill me!" Vidcund shouts, the look of pure panic not leaving his face, "I may as well leave the town now before she can get me!"

"Geez, is this really how you handle crisis situations?" Loki states, rolling his eyes, "Vidcund, Nervous isn't going to say anything to anyone. And just to make sure he doesn't, I'll zap his memory. I'll use the Memorium 3045x prototype; it'll take five seconds, and he won't remember anything that happened in the last twelve hours," he tells him.

Vidcund lifts his head out of his hands, his face lightly up a bit. "Really?" he chimes.

"Yes," Loki answers, getting up from the bed. "Now come on, let's get it from the basement."

A few minutes later, Loki is creeping downstairs into the depths of his residence, Vidcund trailing him from a short distance. Loki crouches down and lifts a corner piece of the wooden floorboard. He picks up the Memorium 3045x and slowly stands up, a funny feeling washing over him. Loki stands stationary, a peculiar look forming on his face.

"Are you okay?" Vidcund wonders, watching Loki turn blank.

"Yeah," Loki speaks suddenly, "I don't know why, but I think I'm experiencing déjà vu," Loki states, reaching down and removing a long strand of blonde hair from the device. Loki quickly turns around and walks towards the stairs, shaking his head lightly. "Now come on, let's erase that dork's memory, I gotta go to work in five minutes," he mumbles.

…

A few hours later, Nervous is sitting at the kitchen table, rubbing his aching forehead as he attempts to eat a bowl of cereal. Pascal walks into the kitchen, his face lighting up when he sees the test subject. "Hey Nervous!" Pascal greets, taking a seat down next to him. Pascal scans the young man over, "Uh…is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nervous lies, "I guess I just woke up on the wrong side of the floor," he comments, taken aback a bit by the scientist's concern. Nervous scoots away from the table. "I better get out of here before Loki gets home-"

"Wait, don't leave!" Pascal exclaims, "We haven't gotten to know each other yet!" Pascal shouts, "Maybe we can be friends. I don't really have any friends, but that's mostly because people are secretly intimidated by my dashingly good looks," Pascal explains, running his fingers through his hair. Nervous chuckles. "Why is that funny?" Pascal wonders.

Nervous carefully steps forward, finding Pascal rather endearing. "Well, alright. I guess I can stay here for a little while," he claims, scooting closer to Pascal.

"Yes! This is great!" Pascal chimes, "Now we can be best friends and get matching bracelets! So, where are you from?"

"Uh…here," Nervous replies.

"Wow, I feel like I know you so much already," Pascal awes, moving a tad closer to him. Nervous laughs once more.

…

"You know, Nervous is pretty cool," Pascal tells his brothers that night when they are all situated in the guest bedroom, "You think I should date him?"

"Uh…" Vidcund begins, turning to Lazlo who is situated in a chair across the room. The pair exchange worried glances with each other before Vidcund turns back to Pascal. "I don't know, Pascal. I'm not sure if that's the best idea."

Pascal tilts his forehead, "Why not? Don't you want me to be happy?"

"Well yeah, but every time you start dating someone, something terrible always ends up happening," Vidcund recalls, "Like when you were dating Jim and you caught the house on fire three times?"

"Yeah, but that was an accident…I think," Pascal adds, "But that won't happen this time! This time I'll be super focused on responsibility."

"-Somehow I don't believe that," Vidcund states, a few more instances coming to mind.

"Well Lazlo believes me, right Lazlo?" Pascal asks, turning to his youngest brother.

"Actually, I agree with Vidcund, Pascal," Lazlo responds, "You seem to shut half of your brain off whenever you're in a romantic relationship with someone, and considering the fact that you already do that on a regular basis, the results could be catastrophic."

"Oh, I see how it is. My brothers don't think I'm mature enough to handle a relationship!" Pascal declares, turning away in a huff. Vidcund and Lazlo look to each other and quickly nod in agreement.

"Yeah, it's pretty much that," Vidcund concludes.

"Oh yeah?" Pascal speaks, standing up from the bed and glaring down at the two of them, "Name one thing I do that's immature!"

"Well, there's the cotton ball fights," Vidcund lists.

"And the belching contestants," Lazlo adds.

"-And the day when you passive-aggressively turned all of the appliances around?" Vidcund continues.

"Hey, now that was an April Fool's Day prank," Pascal explains, crossing his arms. "You guys sure list off a lot of vague things, but I still don't see any concrete examples of my immaturity."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead. "Really?" he asks, "What about what happened last week…?"

 _Pascal is kneeling on the black tiled floor in their residence's kitchen, throwing his hands out towards the ceiling. "I HATE BEING SINGLE! WHY WON'T ANYONE LOVE ME?!" he screams before crying uncontrollably into his hands._

"-Only a super mature person would be that brutally honest," Pascal claims, nodding matter-of-factly. "Besides, it's a scientific fact that most people only use about ten percent of their brains, so you guys' argument about me being immature and shutting off half of my brain while I'm dating doesn't even make any sense," Pascal counters.

"Wasn't that so-called 'fact' disproven years ago?" Vidcund claims.

Pascal shrugs. "I don't know. Ask Lazlo, he's the brain guy!"

"Vid's right, it's actually one hundred percent and please don't date the test subject," Lazlo replies.

Pascal sighs and rolls his eyes. "Fine! I won't date the _test subject_ ," he squeaks, rolling his eyes as he walks backwards towards the door. Pascal plays with his hands and lets out a small giggle, a devious smile forming on his face. "Bye!" Pascal chimes, racing out of the guest bedroom at lightning speed.

Vidcund and Lazlo sit in invited silence, the pair still turned towards the door. "He just found a loophole, didn't he?" Lazlo speaks up to his remaining brother.

Vidcund sighs, his hand perched on his hip. "-Looks like it," he states. "We should probably make sure this place has a fire alarm."

Suddenly, Lazlo's phone starts vibrating in his pocket. He pulls out his cell phone and gazes down at the screen. "Hey! Charlie says the eggs in our lab hatched!"

"They did?" Vidcund squeaks, "How come I didn't get the message-" Vidcund stops short and slouches forward. "Oh right, cause my phone's in a ditch," Vidcund grumbles before immediately standing up and stepping into the hallway. "PASCAL!"

…

Fifteen minutes later, Pascal and Vidcund are standing in the center of the Strangetown crater, conveniently located to the west, right next the Beaker residence. The brothers are digging through the sand in the hopes of finding Vidcund's misplaced cell phone. Vidcund groans as he crouches on the ground, sand stuck in his fingernails. After a few minutes of searching through a sand pile, he turns to Pascal, the sun beaming down on their bodies.

"Honestly Pascal, sometimes I think you enjoy making my life difficult," Vidcund grumbles.

Nearby, Pascal dusts some sand onto his pants. "Well yeah, of course, that's what older brothers do."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, "You don't do that to Lazlo."

"Lazlo does a good enough job of doing that to himself," Pascal replies, giving a small nod.

Vidcund slowly stands up from the sand and lets out a heavy sigh. "Ten more minutes of this and I'm done," Vidcund states, "I'm sick of searching for something I'm never going to find-oww!" Vidcund cries, a bee stinging him in the elbow, "That's it, I'm done!"

Pascal watches as Vidcund slowly climbs up out of the crater and wobbles back to the house. Pascal shakes his head in pity before redirecting his attention to the task at hand. "Alright crater, now it's just you and me – and Vidcund's cell phone over there," Pascal declares, pointing to the cellular device that is sticking out of the sand a few feet away from him. Pascal stands in silence for a bit, before the realization washes over him. "Oh, right."

Pascal paces over to the cell phone and pulls it out of the sand, carefully wiping the screen off with his sleeve. Pascal stares down at the screen, which is displaying a text message from an unknown number. "'Hey baby, I'd love to water your garden,'" Pascal softly reads aloud, stopping briefly to scan the area. _"Oh God! Is this a sex thing?"_ Pascal shouts in his mind, tightening his grip on the cell phone. "Oh shit!" Pascal cries, his finger accidentally holding down the redial button. The phone starts to ring.

" _Hello?"_ a masculine voice sounding strangely familiar rings out from the phone.

Pascal shrieks and throws his hand back, chucking the cell phone to the other side of the crater. Pascal steps back, his face turning white in shock. Pascal crouches down in the sand, covering his mouth up with his hand. _"No, no, no!"_ he screams, _"Please tell me it's not true!"_

After a few moments, Pascal picks himself up, takes a few deep breaths, and steps back into the Beaker residence. Vidcund is standing in the kitchen waiting for him.

"So, did you find it?" he wonders.

"No!" Pascal shouts suddenly, "No, I didn't," he replies, his body shaking a bit. "Now if you'll excuse me I gotta go-uh…water the toilet," Pascal exclaims, mentally slapping himself as he rushes out of the room.

Vidcund tilts his forehead, a strange look plastered on his face. "Water the toilet?" Vidcund states, still staring at the entrance where Pascal previously stood, "I don't even want to know, do I?" he asks the empty room.

Vidcund sighs and shakes his head a few times before climbing up the stairs to his room, the sun doing a decent job lighting up his path. Vidcund stops short of the doorway, a familiar figure blocking his way.

"Hey Viddy," Circe coos, leaning one of her legs up against the doorframe. She is wearing a short black lace nightie. Circe growls and gives him a seductive wink, "I've been wondering when you'd get here."

"Please tell me you were not waiting three hours for me to come up the stairs," Vidcund says, a slight irritation in his voice.

"It doesn't matter how long I waited for you, all that matters is that we can begin our secret affair!" Circe proclaims, grabbing Vidcund by the shirt and pulling him closer to her.

Vidcund's eyes widen at the sight of her. "Uh…?"

Circe and Vidcund both turn to the side as a third person steps into the hallway. Pascal walks past them, nodding to each of them in acknowledgement as he passes by. "Circe, Vidcund, Lazlo," Pascal states as he nonchalantly makes his way down the stairs.

Vidcund and Circe immediately look down at the ground where, sure enough, Lazlo is fast asleep on it a few feet away from the door.

"Not going to lie, this definitely kills the mood," Circe confesses, gesturing down to Vidcund's drooling brother. "But no matter, let's do this!" Circe commands, pushing Vidcund into the guest room, a fresh look of determination in her eyes.

Vidcund steps back as Circe sashays towards him, knocking into the bed in the process. Vidcund falls back on it as he quickly waves his hands in front of his torso. "Uh, you do realize you've only been married for a month, right?" Vidcund wonders, tensing up a bit as Circe grabs him by the shoulders.

"A month too long, now come here, sexy!" Circe cries, pulling Vidcund in for a kiss. Circe pushes her tongue into his mouth and starts forcibly making out with him. Mere seconds later, Circe pushes Vidcund away from her. Circe lies down on the bed next to him and stares at the ceiling, heaving a defeated sigh.

"I can't do this!" she shouts suddenly, throwing her hands up.

Vidcund sits up on the bed and stares down at the ground in relief. "Oh, thank God!" he states.

Circe sits up on the mattress, pulling her knees to up to her chest. "I can't take this anymore!" she shouts, "I think Loki may be having an affair! How dare he break our sacred vows!"

"Uh, weren't you just trying to have an affair with me thirty seconds ago?"

"That doesn't matter! The point is Loki is finding solace in the arms of another woman, and that can't happen!" Circe outcries, throwing her arms out once more.

"Circe, why don't you just talk to Loki about it instead of trying to 'get even'?" Vidcund wonders, "That way if it turns out to be nothing, you wouldn't have dug yourself into a hole."

Circe plops her legs down on the mattress and turns to Vidcund, the extremity draining from her face. "You're right. I should just sit him down tonight and calmly talk to him about this issue-"

Vidcund nods, "That's right."

"-And then if it turns out that he really is cheating on me, I can steal his cell phone, track down his secret lover, and KILL THEM!" Circe roars, a look of pure rage filling her face. Vidcund leans back a bit, his whole body starting to jitter.

"Yeah," he squeaks, trying his best to contain his terror, "-Or, you could not do that."

"Er…why would Loki ever even think about cheating on me?!" Circe growls, standing up in the guest room, "I'm the whole package!"

" _Yeah, package of crazy…"_ Vidcund completes in his mind. The plant biologist flashes an innocent smile, "Yeah…I guess," he mutters.

…

"So I started seeing this new guy a few weeks ago," Erin tells Loki, as she walks down the street back to his house. "His name is Troy, and he's like a seven in looks, but a five in personality-"

"Why are you telling me this?" Loki groans, dragging his feet through the sand. "I really don't need to know this information."

"Of course you do!" Erin beams, "Cause what if Troy turns out to be the one?" she asks, Loki clearly fatigued in front of her, "You know, the one that's worthy enough for my hypnosis? Please! I know he's not the one that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with, cause _obviously_ that's Lazlo."

Loki stops in his tracks and raises his eyebrow at his sister. "I don't know how that's obvious when you haven't said more than three words to the guy."

"That's not true, I said 'hi Lazlo' to him twice!" Erin counters as Loki rolls his eyes and starts walking ahead of her, "Come on Loki, can't you just be optimistic for once in your life? I mean, just because you're in a loveless marriage, doesn't mean I will be too. You don't need to be negative just because no one's really interested in you-"

"Why does everyone always assume that I'm miserable just because I don't sport a stupid smile on my face twenty-four seven?" Loki wonders, "I'll have you know that I'm a very charming person, and I'm very happy with my life."

"Relax Loki, I never said you were miserable, I just said that you tend to be rather negative at times," Erin reminds him, "But if you're happy with who you are, then that's all that really matters, right?"

"Right," Loki states firmly, not bothering to look his sister in the eyes.

"-But come to think of it, you have been a lot happier than usual lately," Erin speaks up, pondering this thought over, "Is that cause of the Curious brothers?"

Loki rolls his eyes. "Psh! Who's ever been happy cause of the Curious brothers?" he questions, "I mean, how many scientific honors has Pascal taken from me over the years?"

"Hmm…about three hundred?" Erin guesses.

Loki crosses his arms and glares at Erin. "You know you didn't need to answer that question," Loki replies. His phone vibrates in his pocket.

"Well, I'm just glad that you're happy and that everything is going great in our lives!" Erin beams as Loki takes out his cell phone and glances down at the screen.

The message reads: "I'm late. Come quick. – Crystal." Loki slowly lifts his head up and looks to his sister, doing his best to keep his feelings hidden.

"Sorry Erin, but I have to go back to work. They found something wrong with the reactor," Loki says, his mouth in a line. "You can still go to my house if you want, but I'm probably going to be out for a while," he continues. Erin nods as Loki quickly turns around and takes off down the street. "Stay away from Lazlo!" he shouts.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Erin shouts back.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Vidcund is sitting in the living room reading one of Loki's various Logic skill books. "Geesh! Who knew telescopes were that dangerous?" Vidcund comments to himself before turning to the next page.

Circe quietly steps into the living room and gently rests her hand up against the fireplace. "Vidcund, I've been thinking about what happened earlier-"

"-I haven't," Vidcund counters, his eyes still glued to the pages of the book.

"-And anyway," Circe begins once more, letting out a small sigh as she continues to gaze at the plant biologist, "it was stupid of me to think that Loki would be cheating on me. I mean, what was I thinking? Like any decent human being besides yours truly would actually fall for him. What kind of story would that be…?"

Vidcund slowly looks up from his book, a slight blush blooming on his cheeks. " _A damn good one,_ " he smirks.


	6. The Rivalry

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Six – The Rivalry_

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the Twelfth Annual All-School Science Fair!" the principal of Strangetown High shouts through a microphone. Around him, several groups of students are busy setting up their projects in the auditorium, their parents standing nearby. "The judging will begin in thirty minutes, so have your projects ready to go!" he instructs from the stage.

Across the room, a teenaged Loki Beaker is setting up his 3D model of the Andromeda Galaxy. Gundrun, Loki's mother, walks over to him and smiles.

"Loki, your model looks lovely and very scientifically accurate," Gundrun adds with a nod, her light brown hair tied up in a bun. "Maybe you'll win this year. But it's okay if you don't, there's more important things in life than winning," she reminds him, "Your father and I will still love you the same, even if you don't win."

Loki groans and rolls his eyes. "That's loser talk, Mom!" he shouts, scanning the area. "Where's Dad?" he wonders.

"Oh, your father is busy talking to your science teacher," Gundrun replies, staring at the pair of men across the room, "Your _hot_ science teacher," she reiterates, narrowing her eyes at his teacher and licking her lips slightly.

Loki facepalms. "Oh God! Mom, please don't!" he cries, "It's embarrassing enough having two Romance sims as parents, but when you and Dad start hitting on my teachers, it's mortifying!"

Gundrun looks down at her son and gives a small sigh. "Alright, fine. I won't romance your teacher tonight," she says, holding her hand up in promise. "But once you graduate, anything goes."

…

The next aisle over, Pascal and Vidcund are situated behind their display tables setting up their science fair projects. Vidcund is busy at work aligning various plants on his table while Pascal taps his fingers against his bare tabletop. "Hey Vid! Check it out!" Pascal chimes, reaching behind his back and pulling out two bent, lime green pipe cleaners. He holds them on the top of his head. "I'm an ant!"

"I know, you just showed me that five minutes ago," Vidcund replies, glancing down at Pascal's empty table. "Uh…?"

"Great job, son," Glarn Curious states, stopping in front of Vidcund's table and gazing down at his project, "very impressive. I just wish your brother was as studious as you and Pascal," Glarn groans, looking back at Lazlo, who is standing behind him with Kitty playing on his Game Boy.

Hearing this, Kitty kneels next to Lazlo and protectively places her hands on his shoulders. "Don't pressure him, Glarn. He's fine."

Glarn rolls his eyes and turns slightly away from her. "He is _not_ fine, Kitty, and if you keep babying him, then he's going to grow up to be a failure and he'll be living with us until he's forty-two!"

"That is not true. Our son is not going to be a failure! Lazlo has charisma; everyone loves him!" Kitty defends, "He'll have tons of opportunities that will open up for him!"

Glarn crosses his arms in a huff. Behind him, both Pascal and Vidcund appear uncomfortable. "Since when does being well-liked ever get you anything in life?" he questions, "It never got me anywhere!"

"-That's because you're not well-liked," Kitty completes, folding her arms over her chest and giving him a sassy stare.

"-She's got you there, Dad," Pascal adds, raising his finger in point.

"Alright, that's it. I'm out of here! You people make me sick!" Glarn animatedly cries, "Phone me when the judging starts." Glarn tells them, before throwing his hands up in frustration and mumbling to himself as he disappears into the crowd.

Back at his table, Pascal laughs. "Dad is such a jokester!" he comments. Pascal glances down at his watch and jumps in place. "Twenty-three minutes until judging, I better let dad know!" Pascal picks up his walkie talkie and holds down the talk button. "Hey Dad, it's your favorite son!"

" _Vidcund?"_ Glarn's voice buzzes from the other line.

"Haha! Oh Dad, you're a riot!" Pascal laughs, shooing his comment off with a wave of his hand. "So, how have you been these last five seconds?" Glarn sighs, and the line switches to static. "Hello? _Hello_?" Pascal calls, staring down at the walkie talkie. Pascal shrugs, places it back into his pocket, and turns to Vidcund. "He must be buying me a present," he states.

Across the room, Glarn is standing with a small group of parents near the front of the stage. He rolls his eyes as he shoves the walkie talkie back into his pocket. Loki's father, Bjorn, turns to him, beaming as he takes a sip of his drink.

"Wow, both of your sons are in the Science Fair," Bjorn begins with a nod, "You must be so proud."

"You would think so," Glarn mumbles, gazing around the auditorium, "but this is starting to get old," he confesses. Glarn's eyes widen as he spots Glabe walking across the room. "I have to go to the bathroom. See you, Beaker!" Glarn quickly bolts, leaving Bjorn alone and confused.

Kitty steps forward as Glarn runs towards them. "Glarn?" she calls out, her eyes filled with concern.

"I can't stay, I gotta go back to work!" Glarn hurriedly tells her, "Wish the boys luck, blah blah blah, see you at home!" Glarn shouts, racing out the door.

Kitty sighs as the door shuts behind him. "Yeah, okay," she squeaks, playing with her hands.

…

"Sorry you weren't allowed to enter this year, Circe," Vidcund speaks up from his table once Circe approaches the young scientist.

She shrugs. "That's okay. It's all politics really. They only banned me because I kept winning all the time."

"I thought they banned you because you set Mr. Landry's car on fire," Vidcund states.

"Vidcund, what have I told you about correcting me?!" Circe blazes, slamming her hands down on his table. "As my boyfriend, you have to blindly agree with everything I say! _Got it?_ " she snarls, narrowing her eyes at him.

Vidcund steps back a bit, clearly terrified. "Yeah, yeah, of course! Sorry," Vidcund quickly corrects.

Circe sighs, her blood pressure slowly dropping. "Good. But I will say this: Mr. Landry should've known better than to mess with me!" she shouts, opening up her fist. "Yuck! I need to wash my hand," she states, walking off towards the bathroom.

"Man, I'm surprised you didn't let her wipe her hand on your pants," Pascal says, standing nearby at his empty table. Pascal throws his hand down and makes a whipping sound.

Vidcund shakes his head and places down another flower pot. "Come on Pascal, it is not like that."

"Are you sure we just witnessed the same thing here, because it certainly looks like you're her hand puppet!" Pascal crosses his arms challengingly.

"We don't need to talk about this anymore," Vidcund firmly states, turning back to his project.

"Great! Now use that backbone with your girlfriend," Pascal advises, leaning down on his elbows, "It'll make things one hundred percent better, trust me."

Vidcund groans. "Don't you have a project to set up?"

"You'd think so, but no," Pascal says suddenly, standing back up from his table's surface, "Can I borrow part of yours?" he wonders.

"What?!" Vidcund chimes, unable to believe what he is hearing, "What do you mean you don't have a project?!" he outbursts, "What have you been doing all this time?"

"Well, I've been busy applying to colleges," Pascal informs him, "I didn't have time to whip one up this year!"

Vidcund leans down towards his table and gently places a hand on his aching forehead. "Pascal, I've been working on this project for five months," he mumbles in despair, "I don't have a backup."

"You don't?" Pascal chimes, "Geez! Talk about unprepared!" he comments, tapping his fingers against the white tabletop. "Well, that's okay. I'll figure something out," he casually replies.

Vidcund tilts his head, clearly confused. "But you only have twenty minutes until the judging starts!"

"-And I'm off!" Pascal declares, tapping his hand on the table twice before racing across the auditorium.

Vidcund continues to stand dumbfoundedly behind his project. "Well, he's doomed."

…

" _Gotta find a project, gotta find a project,"_ Pascal mutters to himself as he frantically scans his surroundings. Pascal stops when he eyes a pile of vegetables sitting on a display table near the stage. He snaps his fingers, an idea sparking in his brain. "That's it!" he chimes, stepping back when he spots a crowd of parents conversing nearby.

Pascal shakes his head as a crowd of his fellow peers walks by him, Lazlo now standing in plain sight near the center of the room tapping away on his Game Boy. Pascal rushes over to him. "Lazlo!" he cries, kneeling to his level. "My favorite brother in the whole world, I need you to do me a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Lazlo wonders.

"I need you to act as a distraction so that I can borrow a vegetable from that table over there," Pascal explains, pointing behind him. "All you have to do is look adorable and then everyone will pay attention to you, okay?"

Lazlo nods. "Okay."

"Great!" Pascal exclaims, tapping him delicately on the shoulder. Pascal stands up and swipes the microphone from the stage. He switches it on. "Hey everyone! Look at my cute little brother!" Pascal proclaims, briefly gesturing to Lazlo. Everyone stops what they are doing and awws.

Pascal quickly sets down the microphone and sneaks his way over to the display table. He scans through the vegetables, stopping when he notices a ripe potato gleaming on the top of the pile. Pascal reaches down and grabs it, holding the potato in his hand empoweringly. Pascal looks up towards the ceiling, inspiration striking him as he stares straight at the heavens and nods.

"This will be my greatest invention yet!" he declares, before stepping away from the display table and racing back over to his station.

He quickly gets to work.

…

Fifteen minutes later, the Science Fair judges are making their way through the displays, thoroughly judging every table. "This is a very articulate model of the Andromeda Galaxy, Loki," the head judge, and principal of Strangetown High School, speaks. Loki is standing at his table, both of his parents at his side, while the rest of the crowd watches behind them. "It's going to be tough to beat," the principal says, making his way over to the last row of displays. "We only have one project left to see, and that is Pascal's." The principal stops in front of the high schooler's empty table and stares up at Pascal. "So Pascal, what do you have to show us?"

"Well Principal Jayapalan, I decided to do something a little bit different this year," Pascal begins, his hands behind his back as Vidcund watches in wonder from the table next to him. "You see, most of the time, I just invent something using the common household potato that would better our lives. But then I got to thinking, potatoes do so much for us that maybe for once, someone should do something for them," Pascal continues, moving forward, "And what would a potato want to do more than anything in the world?"

"Get out of being a part of this terrible demonstration?" Loki quips, clearly bored.

"No silly, dance!" Pascal corrects as if it were obvious. "Introducing the incredible dancing potato!" Pascal announces, placing the potato onto the table and flipping the on switch. The potato, which now has fully-functional arms and legs constructed out of lime green pipe cleaners, starts dancing on the table.

"Ooh! It's doing the jitterbug!" Kitty awes, excitedly clapping her hands together.

Loki rolls his eyes. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever seen!"

" _Loki_!" Gundrun speaks up behind him.

Loki crosses his arms. "You can't silence the truth, Mom!"

"Hmm…well, this is definitely something we haven't seen before," Principal Jayapalan states, glancing at the other two judges who are writing busily on their clipboards. "I think we'll be ready to announce our winner in a few moments."

Five minutes later, the judges step out of their huddle and return to the finalists.

"Alright, after a ridiculously short amount of deliberation, we have selected our three Science Fair winners," Principal Jayapalan announces, taking out a bronze colored ribbon from his coat pocket. "Third prize goes to…Vidcund Curious!"

"Aww!" Vidcund groans, hanging his head in disappointment as the principal sticks the third-place ribbon onto his table. Pascal pats his back consolingly as Circe takes a step away from him. A few feet away from them, Loki starts laughing obnoxiously.

Principal Jayapalan moseys back over to the two remaining projects and stands between them. "And that just leaves the final two prizes for the Twelfth Annual All-School Science Fair, which has once again come down to a decision between Loki Beaker and Pascal Curious, two of the brightest young men that this school has ever seen." Circe loudly clears her throat. "I said young _men_ , Circe, no need to get upset," he states, moving towards one of the tables, "Now, we're having a difficult time deciding, so we're going to have each of the two finalists tell us in one sentence only, why they deserve to win this prestigious honor. Loki, you first."

"Okay," he nods, "I should win first prize because my project is more scientifically appropriate than my competitor's."

"Fair enough," Principal Jayapalan says, before walking over to Pascal's table. "Pascal, why do you think your project deserves first prize?" he asks.

Pascal starts swaying his arms. "Well, it can do the chorography to any Spice Girls song." Pascal turns the potato back on and starts dancing in sync with it. " _If you wanna be my lover_ -"

"And we have a winner!" Principal Jayapalan proclaims, sticking the first-place ribbon to Pascal's table. Pascal beams and turns to the side, giving a double thumbs-up to the local newspaper reporter with a camera.

"WHAT?!" Loki fumes, stepping out from behind his table, "But his project doesn't have any merit!" he claims.

"-It does now," Circe chimes in, leaning up against Vidcund's table. Loki flashes her a glare.

Pascal smiles and picks up his potato, holding it up to the roaring crowd. Pascal scans the area, his eyes filling with sorrow when he finds his father nowhere in sight.

"Whoo! Yeah! That's my son!" Kitty cheers, clapping over-enthusiastically in the front row with Lazlo and Vidcund. Pascal cracks a large smile and beams.

"That concludes the Twelfth Annual All-School Science Fair, congratulations Pascal!" Principal Jayapalan announces as the crowds in the auditorium start dispersing.

Pascal walks over to Vidcund, watching as he wipes his table down with a washcloth. "I really liked your project," Pascal says, the room quieting down around them.

Vidcund looks up at his brother. "Thanks," he states sincerely.

"Here Vid," Pascal begins, holding the first-place ribbon out to him, "You deserve this more than I do."

Vidcund leans back, his face filled with confusion. "Are you kidding?" Vidcund squeaks, "You just planned and completed a first-place science fair project in fifteen minutes. That's the most impressive thing I've ever seen, and I know that might not sound all that remarkable because I'm only thirteen, but we've seen some weird shit," he smirks. Pascal laughs.

"Yeah…" Pascal agrees, sticking the first-place ribbon on Lazlo. "Here. Now you can tell dad you won," he tells his little brother, a smile still shining on Pascal's face. "He's going to be so confused!"

…

"It's okay, Loki. You tried your best," Gundrun attempts to console her son while he packs up his project, the frustration from earlier not leaving his face.

"Yeah, I mean just because Pascal beat you for the fourth time in a row doesn't mean it's always going to be that way," Bjorn speaks up from behind. Gundrun turns and glares at her husband. "What?" Bjorn shifts his eyes.

"You know what? You're right, Dad," Loki states, pointing his finger at his father as he firmly steps forward, "Just because it happened four times in a row, doesn't mean it's a pattern! As Will Wright as my witness, I will never be one-upped by Pascal Curious again!"

…

Fourteen years later, Loki is sitting on his couch in his medieval-style living room reading the newspaper, when a knock is heard at the door. Intrigued, Loki folds up his newspaper and heads over to the doorway. Loki swings the door open, only to find a small council of scientists standing on his front porch, dozens of reporters snapping pictures from behind. The eldest scientist steps forward, a microphone in hand as he gazes up at Loki.

"Congratulations, sir. You've just been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics!" the scientist declares, Loki in clear shock in front of him as the reporters continue to take pictures.

"Well it's about damn time!" Loki speaks up, once he regains his standard demeanor, the eldest scientist holding the microphone up to his face, "Where were you five years ago when I invented the Lie Finder?"

"Yes, you-wait," the eldest scientist pauses, his forehead scrunched, "Aren't you Pascal Curious?" he wonders.

"-No."

The eldest steps back and slowly moves the microphone away from him. "Oh…then this must be quite embarrassing for you. Sorry."

Almost immediately, all the reporters and scientists disperse and exit off the lot, grumbling to themselves about the whereabouts of the real winner. Loki clenches his fists and slams the door shut.

"Er… _PASCAL_!"

 _Present Day_

"So I just applied to this new graduate school program at Sim State," Crystal tells Loki as they walk down the second-floor hallway at SimSanto Labs. The pair is heading towards their monthly staff meeting. "The program is pretty impressive. You should see it. You'd like it," she insists.

Loki sighs and looks up at the ceiling. "Somehow, I highly doubt that, considering the fact that I hate everything."

"Anyway, I need three letters of recommendation from my place of employment in order to get into the program, so I was hoping that you would write me one," Crystal continues, the pair rounding the corner, "I mean, anyone could get a letter of recommendation from a friend, but if I could get one from someone who's a challenge, that would speak wonders to the administration."

"Forget it. I've never written one before and I never will in the future," Loki states, stopping when he notices Circe and Vidcund holding hands in front of Dr. Santo's office. He groans.

"What?" Crystal chimes.

"Never mind, just step away from the nausea," Loki instructs, guiding Crystal towards the other side of the room. Loki takes his hands off her shoulders once he reaches Eric's office.

"Hey Loki!" Pascal greets, Craig standing next to him.

"Hey dipwad," Loki remarks, turning away from his rival, " _Let's get this over with_ ," he grumbles.

As if on cue, Eric steps out of his office and brings his hands together. "Gather around, everyone!" he announces, gesturing his workers from all three science departments towards his office. "I'd like to begin this meeting by naming this month's Employee of the Month," he states, gazing out at the small crowd of scientists and Crystal, "Now, it wasn't easy to pick this month's winner…oh, who am I kidding? Of course it was!" he confesses, "For his incredible bravery and continuous strive to make this world a better place, this month's Employee of the Month is…Pascal!" Eric declares, gesturing towards the winner. Everyone but Loki erupts into applause as Eric adds yet another identical picture of Pascal to the Employee of the Month wall.

Loki steps forward, clearly frustrated. " _Again_?" he outbursts, "But he won the Nobel Prize a few months ago! What has he done lately?" he challenges, the applauding immediately dying down as everyone in the room stares at the angered physicist.

"Well, just this morning he resuscitated the janitor," Eric responds.

"Ha! So that proves that this is just a popularity contest that is not based on any actual skill!" Loki snarls.

Eric steps back, feeling more awkward by the minute. "Uh…alright. Show of hands, how many people think that Pascal is the most deserving of Employee of the Month this month based on his skill alone?" he asks.

Everyone minus Loki immediately shoots their hands up, the boss included.

Loki narrows his eyes at the crowd. " _Seriously_?" he squeaks, unable to believe what he is seeing.

Crystal shrugs. "I was there. The resuscitation was impressive."

Loki throws his hands up. "Unbelievable!" he shouts before taking off down the hallway.

"Dr. Beaker! We still have an agenda to discuss!" Eric shouts back. After a few moments of staring down the empty hall, he waves his hand down. "Ah, forget it! We'll just send him the notes."


	7. Young Scientist Awards

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Seven – Young Scientist Awards_

Crystal and Loki are sitting at their desks on the second floor, working hard on their latest projects. Loki is busy brainstorming his newest invention, while Crystal is writing out her pitch to a potential investor. She crosses out a few words on her notepad and rephrases the line. A young man clears his throat, causing Crystal to jump a bit in her seat when she sees him. She looks up only to find one of the third-floor scientists standing at the edge of her desk.

"Craig?" Crystal speaks up suddenly, putting down her notepad and sitting up straight in her chair. "What are you doing here?"

Craig looks down at the ground and starts fiddling with his hands. "Uh, I kinda wanted to ask you something."

"Oh, okay," Crystal nods, capping her pen.

"-But it's not work related," Craig continues, Loki sits up when he hears this and readjusts his seat.

"Oh," Crystal replies, slightly taken aback, "Then maybe you shouldn't ask it during work hours."

"Crystal, you're really pretty!" Craig blurts out, "And I think you're incredible and I want you to go on a date with me."

" _Yeow!"_ Loki mouths, turning his chair away from this embarrassing display.

Across the room, Crystal appears rather uncomfortable. "Wow. Craig, that's very sweet, but to tell you the truth, I'm not really interested."

"Oh," Craig states, taking a step back as he nervously rubs his arm. "So you have a boyfriend?"

Crystal shakes her head. "No."

"So you're not interested in guys?"

"No."

"So you just don't want to go out with _me_?" Craig guesses once more, the rejection still stinging.

"Yes," Crystal answers bluntly, picking up her pen and notepad and returning to her work. "Sorry."

"That's okay," Craig stutters, staring down at his fingernails. "So uh, does this mean I'm fired?" he wonders.

Crystal sighs and sets her work down on her desk. "I'll tell you what, I won't mention any of this to anyone, if you leave in the next five seconds."

"Deal," Craig agrees, quickly exiting the room. Loki watches as Craig flies past his desk and takes off down the hallway.

"Good call, Craig's about as high-quality as his inventions," Loki states, turning to his colleague, "That's an insult, in case you didn't get it," he adds.

"I got it, Loki," Crystal snaps as Circe strolls into the room behind her.

"Speaking of low-quality…" Loki begins, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms as Circe approaches. Circe stops at the foot of his desk, a pink flyer in hand. "To what do I owe this catastrophe?"

"Hello Loki," Circe speaks, her greeting as stale as the room décor. "I see your insults are still as pathetic as always."

"That's not what you said five months ago," Loki chimes.

Circe crosses her arms. "I was faking it."

"-So was I," Loki adds smugly, crossing his legs and resting them on his desk. "So do you want anything, or did you just come here to annoy me?"

"Both," Circe answers honestly, "Eric wanted me to remind everyone that the Young Scientist Awards are this weekend," Circe says, holding up the flyer for the event, "and I wanted to remind you that I will be going with my boyfriend, Vidcund Curious, who doesn't use girly soaps or throw tantrums at company meetings."

"Wow, that's subtle," Loki remarks, "For a second there, I thought you were actually going to be civil, but then I quickly realized who I was talking to," Loki states, leaning back in his seat once more. "Still, I don't know why anyone would ever brag about dating Vidcund Curious. It's like dating a twig, except a twig is smarter and has better fashion sense."

Circe rolls her eyes. "Please! You're just jealous that I'd rather date a _loser_ than you!" she counters.

"Yeah, that's why I'm upset," Loki sarcastically replies.

Across the room, Crystal is still editing her pitch. "Geez, you guys are both horrible people."

Loki gives a small smirk and gestures over to Crystal, slightly impressed. "The girl's catching on quick," he comments.

"Anyway, I can't wait to see you embarrass yourself again this weekend, when you show up miserable and alone," Circe continues, throwing the flyer onto Loki's desk. "See you, sweetie!" Circe snarls, giving a pernicious wave and exiting the room.

Crystal slowly puts down her pencil, watching as Circe heads down the stairs. "Man, she is ruthless."

"I know," Loki states, still staring at the empty doorway, "Believe me, if the package wasn't so hot, it wouldn't be as tempting."

"Uh, you might not want to use those-never mind," Crystal quickly states, gazing back down at her work.

Loki groans and rests his face down on his desk. "Why did Circe think it was a good idea to date the stupidest guy at this company?"

All of a sudden, Pascal walks out of the second-floor bathroom and stops in the hallway. "Hey guys, check it out!" he announces to the pair, "I made a giraffe out of the urinal cakes that I found in the bathroom!" Pascal holds the deformed giraffe up to them and flashes a smile. Crystal and Loki watch in intrigued disgust as Pascal makes a giraffe noise and moves the smelly object in his hands. Pascal giggles to himself and heads back up to the third floor. Crystal turns her head and raises her eyebrow at Loki.

"Okay, fine. Second stupidest," he corrects, giving his eyes a roll. Loki's phone pings in his pocket. He takes it out and opens the newest message. The message is from Circe and is a photo of her with her arms around Vidcund. The caption reads: "Can't wait to see you desperate and single at the awards!" Loki throws his phone down on his desk, a sickening feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. He covers his face with his hands and moans.

After a few moments, Loki slowly lifts his head up out of his fingers, eyeing Crystal who is sitting at her desk rearranging one of her drawers. _"That's it…"_ Loki awes, an idea coming to him. Loki gets out of his seat and walks over to her. "Crystal," he begins, the young woman rearranging papers when he approaches her, "how would you like a date with the hottest person in this building?"

"I can't date myself, Loki. That would be way too weird," Crystal replies, not skipping a beat.

Loki laughs slightly. "As much as I love the confidence, I was actually referring to yours truly – namely, me," he corrects.

Crystal sighs and rolls her eyes. "I know what 'yours truly' means, Loki."

"Exactly!" Loki exclaims, "You have brains _and_ beauty, you're the total package – at least on the surface," Loki adds, "And that's just the kind of person I need to show up my ex-girlfriend."

Crystal groans and puts down her paperwork. "Oh no," she sighs, shaking her head.

"That's right, it appears as though a certain female scientist thinks that she can do better than me," Loki remarks, confidently pacing around Crystal's desk. "But nobody can do better than Loki Beaker! NOBODY!" he exclaims, raising his hand up enthusiastically in point. Loki laughs maniacally at the ceiling before turning to Crystal with a normal demeanor. "So, do you want to go to the Young Scientist Awards with me or not?"

Crystal sits at her desk in silence, staring at Loki bizarrely. "No," she says.

"Ah, I see how it is. You want me to court you," Loki replies, walking back over to his desk and taking his seat. He sketches out his arms a bit, before getting on his computer, Crystal still watching him strangely from the other side of the room. "Alright now, let's see. 'How to Court Women'," Loki says as he types this sentence into a search engine. Crystal tilts her head in confusion, a stunned look on her face. "It's been a while since I've had to do this," Loki explains, turning back to the computer and giving a shrug. "Ah, here we go, 'How to Court Women (with Pictures)'," he states, clicking on the link, "'Step one: Find a woman', seems simple enough," Loki comments.

"You mean you have to look up how to do it?" Crystal speaks up next to him, "No wonder why you don't get dates!"

Loki sighs and scrolls through the rest of the page. "Geez! Twenty-eight steps?" Loki remarks, scrolling back up to the top of the webpage. "I better take the week off to do this," he comments, pressing the print button on the top of the page. He sits up from his computer and grabs his briefcase. "Well, I'll see you in a week!"

"Loki!" Crystal cries, swiftly getting up from her chair and blocking his path to the exit. "I _can_ believe I'm saying this, because I've said this exact same sentence fifteen times this week, but this is not a good use of company time," she reminds him, "Besides, you don't need to take a week off work just to ask me out."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! No one said anything about me asking you out," he states.

"But you were just – never mind," Crystal gives up with a sigh. "I'll tell you what, I'll go with you to the Young Scientist Awards, if you write me a letter of recommendation."

Loki groans and looks up at the ceiling. "Man, you're really pushing that thing," he comments, giving a huff. "Fine, I'll write your stupid letter of recommendation," he caves, "but I better take the week off work to write it," he says, heading back towards the door. "I'll email you the details for Saturday."

"Great," Crystal says, forcing a smile. " _I can't believe I'm doing this…_ " she mutters, giving her head a shake. "Oh, and the letter's due on Friday, so if you don't write it for me by then, I'm not going with you!" she shouts back. Crystal sighs and sinks into her seat. She takes her paperwork out once more and resumes her work.

…

Five days later, Loki is standing in front of Crystal's house, dressed in an over-the-top, black-tailed tuxedo, waiting impatiently for his boss. Loki sighs and stares down at his watch. "Come on, Crystal, hurry up! We're going to be late!" he calls.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't find my left shoe!" Crystal exclaims, quickly stepping out on her front porch and pulling the door shut. Crystal turns to face Loki, her bright red, sleeveless, floor-length ball gown knocking against the top stair. Crystal walks over to him, carrying her matching heels. "Alright, let's get this nightmare over with!" she declares, locking eyes with Loki, who is staring at her dumbstruck. "Uh…are you okay?"

"Yeah," Loki shakes his head, returning to reality, "Now before we go, I should probably explain what your role as my date entails."

Crystal tilts her forehead. "I thought I just had to go to banquet with you?"

"Well yeah, but you have to actually act like you want to be there," Loki explains, "I don't want you ignoring me the entire time or cracking jokes at my expense," he adds as the pair turns and heads down the street.

Crystal rolls her eyes. "Fine, I won't make jokes," she promises, "I hate to ask, but what else did I sign up for?" she wonders.

"Good question," Loki replies, "You also have to pretend that you love me."

"-Like you," Crystal bargains.

Loki nods. "Alright, but you have to hold my hand and wrap your arm around me at least once every hour," he counters.

"Man, you're really going to make me work for this, aren't you?" Crystal comments, "I mean, I already have the letter of recommendation from you, so I could just bail."

"Yeah, but I know you won't," Loki states with a wave of his hand, "cause deep down you're a real softy."

Crystal scrunches her forehead in confusion. "I don't know how you came to that conclusion," she mutters as the pair arrive at the doorstep of the banquet hall.

"We're here," Loki says, gesturing Crystal to the side of the entrance. Crystal slips her shoes on. "Now loop your arm around mine and pretend that you adore me."

Crystal stands up straight, eyes Loki, and groans. "Not going to lie, you're making it very hard for me to pretend to like you," she grumbles, "but at least my three credits in acting are finally being put to use," Crystal grabs Loki by the arm. " _Let's get this over with…_ "

Loki and Crystal step into the banquet hall, which is lavishly decorated from the ceiling to the floor with gigantic gold fabrics. In the very center of the room is a plumbob-shaped fountain, which branches off into a waterfall.

"Geez, this is nice," Crystal awes, staring up at the glass chandelier on the ceiling, which is covered with silver candles. "This was definitely not what I was expecting from the Physics Department."

"Why? Cause we're dorks?" Loki answers, giving Crystal a sassy smirk.

Crystal shrugs and smiles, still gazing up at the ceiling. "You said it, not me."

"Hey Crystal! What are you doing here?" Craig asks, the pair immediately stops and looks at him as he approaches. "You're not a part of the Physics Department!"

"No, but-"

Craig steps back, noticing Crystal's arm around Loki's. "Ah," Craig realizes, giving a small nod, "So that's why you didn't want to date me; you're dating the lunatic."

"What? No-" Crystal begins, but Craig walks away before she can explain. Crystal turns to Loki and glares. "Can I go home now?"

"Not yet dear, the evening's just begun!" Loki responds, surveying the room around them.

Crystal sighs and lets out yet another groan. "Please don't talk like that."

"Loki!" Circe exclaims, strolling over to the pair with Vidcund. Circe is wearing a bright green sleeveless dress with a massive bow in the center, and Vidcund is wearing a tux with no glasses. "I can't believe you showed up."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Please! We wouldn't even have this banquet if it weren't for me," he states, narrowing his eyes at her. "You remember Crystal," Loki continues, struggling to be on his best behavior as he gestures to his date.

"Yes," Circe nods, glancing briefly at her former roommate. "I didn't know she was your girlfriend."

"Oh, she's not my girlfriend," Loki speaks up, brushing it off. "We have a purely intimate relationship. She just can't get enough of me."

Crystal facepalms and slides her hand down, covering her face with it. " _Oh God_ ," she moans.

"Well," Circe begins, still staring at the mismatched pair, "that's disturbing."

"Not as disturbing as you dating that clown," Loki counters, though it is unclear who he is addressing.

"Circe? Can I have my glasses back?" Vidcund says suddenly, squinting his eyes as he struggles to view the scenery.

"No!" Circe barks behind her, before immediately turning back to her ex and Crystal, "You look better without them, sweetie." Circe flashes the pair an innocent smile.

"But I can't see!"

"I don't care," Circe hisses through her teeth, "I'll give them to you later!"

Vidcund sighs and hangs his head towards the floor. "Okay," he mumbles.

"Oh for goodness sake, Viddy, grow a backbone!" Loki shouts, the outburst causing all eyes to stop on him. "I'll uh…go get us some drinks," Loki musters, taking off towards the refreshments.

Vidcund stays behind, looking as confused as ever. " _Viddy?_ " his mind squeaks.

Following Loki's departure, Circe moves closer to Crystal and lowers her voice. "So, how much did Loki pay you to come here with him?" she wonders.

Crystal sighs and shakes her head in pity. "Not enough."

"Here you go… _cutie_ ," Loki states, awkwardly smiling and handing Crystal a drink. Crystal stares down at the obscure drink that she is holding, which appears to have a dirt-like substance floating on the top of it.

"Thanks," she mutters, forcing a smile as she nudges Loki in the side with her elbow. "Where did you get this?" she wonders, both Circe and Vidcund watching her in curiosity.

"It doesn't matter, just drink it," Loki whispers back. Crystal cautiously inspects the glass that is in her hands and holds it up to the light.

Suddenly, the town's Mr. Big approaches her. "So, you're Crystal Vu," Charlie begins, a glass of red wine in hand, "Eric's told me so much about you. I'm Charles, Charles Lawson," he greets, holding his hand out to her.

"Get lost Lawson, I'm dating this pixie stick!" Loki growls.

Charlie steps back and eyes the young man that is standing next to Crystal. "What is this, a pity date?"

"Funny," Loki sneers, "You know what else is funny? Your I.Q. Get the hell out of here!"

"Well, someone's incredibly rude," Charlie remarks, giving a small huff before leaving the area. Circe and Vidcund leave a moment later.

"Wasn't that a little harsh?" Crystal states once they are alone, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"No," Loki states firmly, "The last time I saw Charlie, he tried to feel up my girlfriend. I can't stand the sight of people like that," Loki tells her. Loki sighs and wraps his arm around Crystal. "Come on, let's go do something pleasant."

Crystal nods and follows Loki to the dance floor. They wrap their arms around each other and start dancing to the beat of the gentle melody. Crystal looks up, noticing Loki staring across the dance floor. His mind appears to be elsewhere as he watches his ex dance with someone else.

"Loki, why am I really here with you?" Crystal wonders.

Loki scrunches his forehead. "What are you talking about? You knew the plan!"

"I know, but…who exactly are you trying to make jealous?"

"Well, obviously Circe!" Loki whisper-hisses, staring down at his date.

Crystal rolls her eyes. "Right. _Obviously_."

Loki narrows his eyes at her. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"Come on Loki, you can tell me, I won't judge you," Crystal speaks, "Well, at least not for that. Anything else is fair game," she adds.

"Crystal, I'm not into guys," Loki hisses back, "And even if I was, I wouldn't be into _that guy_."

"But you're so adamant about it and you make fun of him all the time!"

"Crystal, this isn't grade school."

"True," Crystal nods, "But you act like a child."

"That is the stupidest argument I've ever heard! I don't like him!" Loki whisper-hisses, looking up from her and staring across the room.

"You're gazing at him right now aren't you?" Crystal states, case in point.

Loki blushes slightly and quickly diverts his gaze. "I am not!" he argues, his face flushed. "And if I was _so_ into Vidcund, would I do this?" Loki leans forward and moves Crystal towards him, drawing her in to a bold, but delicate, kiss. The pair quickly pulls back, the electricity of the kiss leaving them speechless.

"We should leave," Crystal states after the moment has subsided.

Loki nods in agreement, and they head towards the door.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Loki and Crystal are walking down the Road to Nowhere, heading towards Loki's house. Crystal is carrying her red heels in her hands and is dragging her feet through the sand. "Well, I have to admit, that date went thirty-five percent better than I thought it would," Crystal tells him.

"Wow, finally something good to tell H.R.," Loki quips, playfully looking up at the stars.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, why did you and Circe break up?" Crystal wonders, "I mean, you guys are really similar," she notes, "It seems like you would want to be with someone who's just like you."

"That was the problem with our relationship, we were too alike, and that caused us to clash at every turn," Loki answers, "If you have two people who are aggressively dominant, it creates a big power struggle every time there's a disagreement," he explains, "Circe needs someone who she can control, that's why I'm not surprised she went back to Vidcund. He's a sponge cake."

"Ah," Crystal nods, staring out at the distance.

Loki sighs and takes a breath of the fresh spring air. "What about you? How's your dating life? Anyone from work trying to get in bed with the boss?" he jokes.

Crystal laughs. "No, most of them are scared of me," she replies, "I usually date Fortune sims, but being a hundred thousand simoleons in debt doesn't exactly make me Ms. Popular."

"Ouch," Loki reacts, "Why so much?"

Crystal sighs, "Student loans."

"Yeah, that'll do it," Loki responds as they arrive at his doorstep on 1 Tesla Court. Loki takes out his keys and unlocks the front door as Crystal stands further behind on the porch. After unlocking the door, Loki turns back to her, a shy smile on his face. "Well uh, I should probably invite you up," he states, "But after our conversation, I'm not sure you're going to want to see my house…" Loki trails off as Crystal takes a step wondrously towards him.

"Why?"

Loki pushes the front door open, revealing his extravagant estate. Crystal steps into the grand entrance with Loki and awes at the luxuriousness of his house. "Holy shit!" she cries, utterly stunned, "This is your house?! This is insane! I've never seen so many high-quality items!" Crystal squeaks, her mouth still open in amazement.

Loki laughs and moves in next to her. "I'll take that as a compliment," he beams.

"You live here by yourself?" she wonders. Loki nods. "Don't you get lonely?"

"Not really," Loki answers honestly, "I don't like people, remember?" he remarks, flashing Crystal his signature smirk.

"Your house is very nice," Crystal continues, stepping into the living room, "Wow! You have so much artwork!" she states, stopping in front of each piece, "Let's see, you have 'Poisonous Forest (in Love with a Curse)' and of course the 'Ancient Transport Urn Sculpture'."

"Wow," Loki states, moving up next to her, smiling at his boss's excitement. "You sure know your artwork."

Crystal smiles and stops in front of the fireplace. "I have a few of these pieces at home…well, smaller versions," she corrects, "I can't afford the real thing. Gotta pay the bills somehow; gotta earn that hundred thousand simoleons…" she sighs, staring off at the wall.

"You're a Fortune sim?" Loki wonders, "You don't really seem like the type."

"Everyone always says that, but what can I say? I like nice things," she replies, admiring yet another painting on the mantle.

Loki steps forward, grabs Crystal from behind, and twirls her around to face him. "-So do I," he coos, leaning in and kissing her passionately; Crystal freezing in a state of shock.

"Loki!" Crystal chimes, her face blushing a heavy red as he continues to hold her at arm's length. Crystal sighs delicately and moves forward, grabbing the sides of his face as the pair kisses again, longer and deeper this time. After a moment, Crystal pulls back, resting her hands on Loki's chest as he continues to hold her in a warm embrace, the pair staring off into the distance.

"Do you want to see the master bedroom?" Loki asks suddenly.

Crystal slowly nods, still taken by the kiss. "Yes."

…

Two hours later, Loki and Crystal are lying naked in Loki's bed, post-Woohoo, the covers pulled over their bodies. "Man, sleeping with the boss," Loki speaks up, slightly winded, "You gonna report me?" he wonders, looking sassily to Crystal.

"Not for this," Crystal remarks, her long, blonde hair lightly tangled, "but anything else is fair game."

"I like you, Crystal," Loki states, turning on his side and propping his head up with his elbow, "You're gutsy. There's nothing more attractive than a woman who knows what she wants."

Crystal scrunches her forehead. "Thank you…?"

"You're welcome," Loki beams, before looking off towards his dresser. He sighs when he sees his work badge resting on it. "You know, you're right about me. I do like Vidcund," he confesses.

Crystal smiles and sits up against the headboard. "I knew it!" she beams, "Well, it's great that you realized that after you slept with me." Loki cracks a laugh.

"Hey, I like you, too," Loki says, gazing back at her, "There's not a man alive who wouldn't like you. And I'm pretty sure Death would like you, also," Loki adds, "In fact, I like you so much, I have a proposition for you."

"If it is what I think it is, you can just drop it," Crystal firmly states.

Loki shakes his head. "No, it's nothing like that," he begins, looking down at the mattress, "Look, it's no secret to me that you're drowning in student loan debt, and it's no secret to you that I'm loaded-"

Crystal nods, suspicion filling her body. "Uh-huh…"

"-So here's what I'm thinking," Loki continues, "I'll pay off your debt entirely, if you marry me and act like you're not totally disgusted by it."

"What?!" Crystal chimes, unable to believe what she is hearing.

Loki sighs and sits up next to her. "Crystal, I'm serious," he tells her, "I need a beard to protect my status in the scientific community. If the heads find out that I like Vidcund, it could ruin my career," Loki explains, a look of distress forming on his face, "You were good at pretending that you liked me today, so it won't be hard to keep up the charade. We can pretend to date for a while, then get engaged, then throw a gigantic wedding or a small wedding – whatever you want," Loki completes. "You can live here and cheat on me, I don't care! You and I would be the perfect couple – at least on the surface – and that's all that matters."

"Loki," Crystal squeaks, her head reeling from all this newfound information, "I don't know if I could live that lie."

"But you wouldn't have to worry about paying off your student loans anymore; you'd be in the clear! And you wouldn't have to worry about creepy guys approaching you, cause everyone's terrified of me," Loki argues, trailing his hand down Crystal's arm and gently squeezing her hand. "Just think about it," he pleads, Crystal looking down at their enjoined hands.

Crystal looks up, uncertainty filling her eyes as she pulls her hand away. "I have to go," she urgently states, getting up from off the bed and gathering her clothes. She bunches her things up in her arms and stops in the doorway. "This isn't a 'no' yet," she tells him, "Just give me some time."

Loki nods, speechless, as the young woman exits into the bathroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts. " _I really like her,"_ he states, _"-Shit_."


	8. Responsibility

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Eight – Responsibility_

"What do you mean you're pregnant?!" Loki cries. He is standing in Crystal's living room, facing the black leather couch where Crystal is sitting. The young woman has her arms crossed.

"What do you think I mean?" Crystal shouts, trying her hardest to remain calm, "You got me pregnant! I can't believe this happened, there was only like a two percent chance! Now I'm pregnant with a married man's child. If this ruins my career, I am going to _kill_ you!"

"Okay, this is bad," Loki states, pacing around the room in a panic, "But wait, I think I have the perfect solution – you leave town."

"What?! No!" Crystal outbursts.

"Okay, then I have another great solution," Loki continues, turning back towards her, "I'll clone myself, and then you'll pretend to fall in love with the clone-"

Crystal groans and covers her face with her hand. "Oh God."

"-Then you'll bang the clone and ta-dah! All our problems are solved!" Loki chimes, clasping his hands together.

"Here's a thought," Crystal begins, her demeanor surprisingly collective, "and I know this may sound crazy, but why don't you actually take responsibility for your own actions?" she challenges, a sassy glare on her face.

"Hey, if I do that, we're both dead," Loki reminds her. He paces over to the window, places his hands on the windowsill, and sighs. "Well, having a baby isn't that bad, right? I mean, all we have to do is hide our child until it's old enough to have plastic surgery – which will be like twenty years tops."

Crystal continues to sit on the sofa, staring at Loki strangely. "Where do you come up with all these terrible ideas?" she states, standing up from her seat and staring into his eyes. "Look, I'm going to have this kid, okay? So we're going to have to come clean about whatever the hell this is," she says, gesturing between the two of them.

"Crystal, I don't even know what this is, how am I supposed to explain it to other people?" Loki wonders, turning back towards her. "Okay, fine, keep the kid. I'm actually glad that you are," he begins, "But just say that it's someone else's."

Crystal gives a heavy sigh, "Loki-"

"Just tell Lazlo that it's his!" Loki continues, "He doesn't know how babies are made!"

Crystal steps forward and lowers her eyebrows. "He's twenty-five, not six," she folds her arms.

"Are we sure about that?" Loki jokes as Crystal sighs and hangs her head towards the floor. "Hey," he speaks tenderly, gently holding Crystal's hands, "I'm happy that you told me. We'll figure something out," Loki promises, softly kissing Crystal on the forehead.

Crystal gazes up at him, a defeated look spread across her face as she nods. "Alright."

…

One fifty-minute drive later, Loki pushes the door of Pleasantview's Baby Warehouse open and sneaks in the building with Crystal, who is dressed from head to toe in a disguise; a large bright purple sunhat covering most of her face. Loki stops in the center of the merchandise and anxiously rubs his hands together. "Alright. Now let's buy some stuff for the little guy."

"It's a girl," Crystal mumbles next to him.

"Really?" Loki chimes, "You're that far along?" Crystal nods. "Wow. This baby is coming sooner than I thought."

Loki smiles slyly as he approaches the main counter, looking up at the clerk that is standing behind it. Loki impatiently taps his fingers on the counter.

"Hello. I knocked up this woman and I want to give her the best things money can buy," he states.

Behind him, Crystal groans and hides her face in her hand. "Oh God…"

"Uh…okay," the clerk awkwardly responds, scanning the room for his supervisor. "I'll uh-be right back," he announces, before racing into the backroom.

Crystal walks up to the counter and glares at Loki. "Did you have to be so blunt?" she asks, "You know, you can't just toss money at this and expect the problem to go away!"

"True," Loki remarks, "but throwing money at a problem can make things ten times better," he beams in point. His eyes trail down to Crystal's stomach. "Man, you really are pregnant!" he comments; Crystal nudges him in the side. She rolls her eyes.

"Honestly Loki, you need to get all this craziness and immaturity out of your system," Crystal informs him, "cause once this baby's born, you're going to have to be a responsible parent."

Loki shivers; Crystal's words shaking him to the core. "Right, of course," he mutters, his whole world starting to fall apart.

…

" _Oh man, I can't believe she's pregnant,"_ Loki drones, groggily walking down the Road to Nowhere a few minutes after leaving Crystal's townhouse the second time. _"What if Crystal's right? What if I need to do something fast, before my life is filled with nothing but-"_ Loki stops and shivers in place, _"-Responsibility?"_ he completes, finding himself face-to-face with one of Strangetown's local shops, " _But what can I do for my last villainous shebang_?"

Loki lifts his head up, the flashy display in the store window catching his eye. The window is aligned with red and green Christmas lights, which borders a luxurious Christmas village. Loki smirks when he spots a giant porcelain Santa Claus standing in the center, a genius idea forming in his brain.

 _Meanwhile: At the Beaker Residence_

Pascal sitting across from Nervous at the Beaker's hardwood table, the morning sun gleaming in through the kitchen window. Pascal smiles as he hands the test subject a notecard and holds a small tape recorder up to his face. Nervous stares uneasily down at it.

"Okay, just say this," Pascal tells him, gesturing at the words written on white card.

Nervous sighs and slowly begins to read. "I, Nervous Subject, am not a test subject?" he states, puzzled.

Pascal smiles as he pulls the tape recorder away from his friend's face. "Perfect."

Nervous cringes and sinks into his seat as the front door of the estate flies open. Vidcund groans as he steps through the door, holding his discarded, sand-covered cell phone in his hand. Vidcund wipes the device on his pants a few times before placing it gently into his pocket. He stops in front of the table and gives Pascal a look over.

"Uh, why are you wearing Loki's sweater?" he wonders, gesturing down at the long-sleeved, navy blue sweater that Pascal is clothed in.

Pascal shrugs. "All my shirts are in the wash, so I borrowed one from Loki," he answers, waving it off, "I'm sure he won't mind."

"Man, you sure like playing with fire, don't you?"

Pascal shakes his head as he stares down at the tabletop. "Speak for yourself," he mutters. Hearing this, Nervous quickly gets up from the table and heads back down to his quarters as Vidcund stands on the kitchen tile, frozen in shock. "What's a matter, Vid? Feeling aroused?" Pascal challenges.

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, an expression of horror on his face. " _Excuse me_?"

"Look, I know all about your secret affair with Loki!" Pascal whisper-shouts, "Why didn't you tell me?! Are you seriously attracted to _that_?!" he outbursts as Vidcund hangs his head to the floor, "Damn it, Vid – you were supposed to be the normal one! What am I going to tell Lazlo?!"

"Um…absolutely nothing," Vidcund replies, as if it were obvious.

"How could you possibly like Loki?! He and Circe are like tornados…they destroy everything they touch!" Pascal cries, "And just for the record, I don't have a problem with you dating guys. I have a problem with you dating _that guy_ ," he explains, "Vidcund, let me be the first of many to say: you can do better."

"But Pascal, Loki's not a bad guy-" Vidcund begins, stopping when Pascal raises his eyebrows disbelievingly. Pascal crosses his arms. "I mean, he is but…" Vidcund trails off, before gazing back up at his brother, "-Can I start over?"

Pascal sighs and shakes his head. "Vid, let me put this in scientific terms for you: Loki is a black hole. He will suck you in and possibly kill you," he bluntly chimes.

Vidcund rubs the back of his neck, nervously. "Now, we're not entirely sure that's how black holes work-"

"Loki is a sadistic, condescending, greedy jerk - and those are his best qualities," Pascal continues, hoping to knock some sense into his brother.

Vidcund slowly turns away from Pascal and covers his face with his hand, trying to hide the slight blush on his cheeks. "I don't know, he's not _that_ bad…"

"Oh God," Pascal speaks, stepping towards him, "Is this a physical thing?" he wonders, "Cause I keep telling you he's not that attractive. He's like a seven at best, and that's if the lights are turned off!"

Suddenly, Loki bursts through the doorway, dragging a large evergreen tree into the foyer by the trunk. Pascal and Vidcund walk over from the kitchen, their curiosity getting the best of them, as Circe and Lazlo walk down the stairs to see what all the commotion is about. Loki grunts as he drags the tree over to the fireplace and leans it up against the wall. Loki heaves a sigh of relief as he lets go of the tree and starts dusting the needles off his jacket.

"Uh, Loki?" Circe speaks up, gathering cautiously around him with the Curious brothers, "Is everything alright?"

"It's fine, dear," Loki answers, placing his hands on his hips as he catches his breath, "I just got a Christmas tree."

"Why do you have Christmas tree?" Vidcund wonders, stepping closer to him, "I thought you hated Christmas!"

"I do," Loki responds, "But they were practically giving them away at the Corner Shoppe for five thousand simoleons a piece, so I figured, why not?" he asks, the Curious brothers raising their eyebrows at this news.

"Five thousand simoleons?" Circe squeaks, "God Loki, can we afford this?"

Loki sighs and turns to her. "Circe, I spent five hundred simoleons on bathroom cups this morning, we're fine," he reassures her, his eyes stopping on the eldest scientist. "Is that my sweater?" he wonders, narrowing his eyes at the clothing item, "Never mind. The point is the holidays are coming, and we should celebrate together."

"Oh God, he's dying!" Vidcund tells the others, his eyes wide.

"-He's growing soft," Lazlo suggests.

"He's an evil killer robot!" Pascal screams, cowering in panic.

"He found out about my affair?" Circe guesses.

"Eh, one of them," Loki answers, before turning to the others, "And no, I'm not growing soft or dying. Now get the hell out of here while I decorate this thing! And you-" Loki instructs, turning to Pascal, "give me my sweater back!"

Pascal groans and scratches his armpits. "Alright fine," he reluctantly agrees, "This thing is itchy anyway. No wonder why you're always grumpy!"

Pascal takes the sweater off and hands it to Loki before he, Lazlo, and Circe return to their daily routines. Vidcund stays behind, watching as Loki bends down near the couch and pulls out a dusty box of Christmas decorations. Loki groans as he starts untangling the lights.

"Uh, are you sure you don't want help with that?" Vidcund wonders, still confused by his actions.

"Yeah," Loki states firmly, not bothering to look up from the tangled mess in his hands.

Vidcund sighs and steps forward, kneeling in front of him. "Hey, is everything alright?" he wonders, "I know this may be normal for most people, but this isn't typical Loki behavior."

Loki looks down and continues to focus on the lights. After a few moments of struggle, he groans and throws the tangled mess on the ground. "Do you ever just…massively screw up?" Loki begins, "Oh, who am I kidding? Of course you do! Look who I'm talking to."

Vidcund sighs and turns towards the carpet. "I see we're off to a great start," he mumbles.

"Look, I did something not great. I mean – it was great, but the consequences were enormous, and for once in my life I am going to be responsible for my own actions. And that scares me," Loki confesses, "When I was younger, my parents helped me, but now I can't rely on them anymore!"

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Vidcund recalls, staring off into the distance, "Like when your mom saved you from getting punched in the face by Buzz?"

"Ah, Mom," Loki awes, the fond memories of her filling his mind, "I still remember one of the last things she ever said to me…"

" _Loki, don't marry that Circe Salamis. She's horrible!" an elderly Gundrun tells her son from the hospital bed._

Loki sighs, continuing to stare into space, a perplexed look on his face. "Yeah…" he trails off, "In retrospect, I probably should've listened to her," he nods.

"Did she say anything after that?" Vidcund wonders.

"… _you should marry Vidcund Curious," Gundrun continues from her deathbed, "he's harmless and adorable!"_

"Uh...I don't remember," Loki replies, shifting his eyes a few times. "All I know is, without her around, this time I'm screwed."

Three weeks later, Circe is cleaning out the barbecue in the backyard when she spies the mailman walking up the driveway. Circe waves him down, smiles, and takes the mail from him. She flips through the envelopes and opens their credit card statement.

"Thirty thousand simoleons?!" Circe cries, her eyes trailing down to the grand total on the bottom of the page, "What the hell is he buying?"

Circe looks up at the purchases, finding a list of baby products which takes up half the page. She scrunches her forehead, unable to believe what she is seeing. " _Loki wants kids_?!" she squeaks.

 _Later that Night_

Circe gets into bed that night, sighing lovingly as she lies down next to Loki, a gigantic smile on her face. Circe beams once more as she pulls the covers over her body. Next to her, Loki is giving Circe a peculiar look. "Uh, what's with you?" he wonders.

"Nothing," Circe coos, inching herself towards him as she turns on her side, "I'm just happy that you finally came to your senses."

"Now come on, we both know that would never happen," Loki reminds her, staring down at his solid blue t-shirt, "Hey, is this strand of thread a different color than this strand?" he asks.

"Oh Loki!" Circe chimes, grabbing him by the sleeve, "I'm so happy that you want to start having babies! Just think of all the attractiveness we could bring to humanity!"

"Uh…what?" Loki states, staring down at her. "What makes you say that?"

Circe smiles and rests her head on his shoulder. "Well, why else would you buy all that baby stuff?"

"If I say it's a fetish, can this conversation be over?" he answers immediately, sitting up when he hears jingles in the distance. "I uh-have to go to the bathroom."

"Hurry back!" Circe purrs as Loki gets up from the bed. He exits through the doorway and gives a small shiver.

" _Oh man, how in the hell am I supposed to get out of this?"_

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund groggily steps out of the guest bedroom, holding his stomach in pain. "Ugh, why did I eat that chicken salad?" he moans, heading towards the bathroom. Vidcund stops when he hears a crash coming from the living room. " _Oh God! Are they being robbed, too?!_ "

Vidcund slowly creeps down the stairs, hanging onto one of the bronze statue busts he found in the upstairs living area. Vidcund reaches the foyer and quietly approaches the living room, grasping the bust harder with each step he takes. Vidcund steps forward, eyeing the figure that is standing near the fireplace. "Eat statue, intruder!" Vidcund cries, throwing the bust at the figure's head. The figure collapses on the ground.

"Vidcund! What the hell?!" Loki cries out, stepping out from behind the Christmas tree, "What are you doing up?" he wonders, "And what are you doing with the bust of Will Wright?!" he cries, growing hysterical.

"Well, I was just-" Vidcund begins, glancing around the room. He turns on the light, only to find his pissed-off lover standing in front of a tied-up NPC, "Wait a minute, what am I doing here?" Vidcund repeats the question, "What are you doing here with-?" Vidcund stops in his tracks when he eyes the jolly man collapsed on the ground; the bronze bust in pieces next to him. "Oh my God, I KILLED SANTA!" he screams in horror.

"Geez, you really did kill Santa," Loki chimes, placing his hand on his hip as he scans the NPC over, "Man, you better watch out."

"But it was an accident; you saw it!" Vidcund defends, trying his best to keep his voice from cracking, "He sounded like an intruder and-hey, wait a minute," Vidcund stops, crossing his arms as he sassily turns to Loki, "Why is he tied up?" he wonders.

Loki shifts his eyes anxiously. "Uh…cause Santa has a fetish?" he answers.

"Ah-ha! You were trying to kidnap him!" Vidcund discovers, "This is all your fault!" he reveals, "Why would you even try to steal Santa Claus in the first place?"

Loki shrugs. "We're off for the holidays, what else was I going to do for two weeks? Spend time with my family?" he mocks, "Don't make me laugh!"

"Oh my gosh, we killed Santa!" Vidcund states, frantically pacing the floor, the severity of the situation finally hitting him. "What are we going to do?!" he chimes, grabbing Loki by the shoulders and shaking him back and forth. "People go to prison for less than this!" he cries.

"Hey, don't look at me. You were the one who killed him," Loki notes, releasing a small sigh, "Now we have to bury his body in the desert…again."

"Alright fine, let's get the shovels," Vidcund sighs, letting go of Loki's shirt and stepping towards the kitchen. Vidcund turns back around and eyes the collapsed sim that is sprawled out on the floor. "Thank God Santa can regenerate."

Five minutes later, Vidcund and Loki are standing in the center of the Strangetown crater, digging deep within its surface. "Unbelievable," Vidcund groans, stopping briefly to wipe the sweat off his forehead, "Here I am burying Santa's body in the desert at three in the morning for the second year in a row with the town villain," he chimes, "What has my life come to?"

"Well, look at it this way, this is the most excitement you've had on a Saturday in years," Loki states, leaning up against the handle of his shovel. Vidcund stops digging once more and glares at him. "Hey, you glare now, but you know it's true," he tells him, placing down his shovel. "Now help me push him in the hole," Loki states, casually gesturing to Santa.

Vidcund sighs and shakes his head as he eyes the dead body. "Man, this story got dark," he comments as he and Loki crouch down and roll Santa into the hole, sand flying in the air upon impact. The scientists quickly grab their shovels and start pouring sand onto his body. "Why did you kidnap him anyway?" Vidcund wonders, "Didn't you learn your lesson last year after the multiple trials?"

"I got a lot of issues, Vid. It's hard to keep track of them all," Loki replies, pouring more sand onto the NPC. Vidcund sighs and narrows his eyes at Loki. "Okay, so maybe it wasn't all the issues. Maybe I kidnapped Santa to dissect him and steal his magical powers by using the Christmas tree to lure him into the house. But you're acting like this is the worst thing I've ever done, when you know there's at least five or six things that top this!"

"When are you going to finally start growing up, Loki?!" Vidcund screams, "I'm sick of always having to bail you out of things! What's so difficult about taking responsibility for your own actions?!" he cries.

"I don't know! You tell me," Loki retorts, "It's just hard, okay? Cause my life is changing and now I'm realizing that I can't be this way forever!" he vents, "And kidnapping Santa was my last chance to do something evil before-"

Vidcund stops digging and rests against his shovel. "Before what?" he wonders.

"-before I have to grow up," Loki sighs, hanging his head sorrowfully towards the sand, "But I love being evil, Vid. It's so much fun being a villain," he states, "But look at me now, I'm almost thirty and Circe wants to have children, and I can't be a villain if I have kids!"

"-Then don't have kids," Vidcund tells him, "You shouldn't have kids anyway, you hate them."

"I don't hate them," Loki mutters, turning his back to Vidcund as he plays with his hands. "I just don't want to have kids with her."

"Well, who do you want to have kids with?" Vidcund wonders, stepping towards him.

All of a sudden, the ground begins to shake beneath them. Vidcund shrieks and grabs onto Loki. A stream of pure black liquid bursts up from the ground and spews out towards the edge of the crater.

"Holy shit! That's oil! We struck oil!" Vidcund calls out, his face beaming in excitement as he kneels towards the substance, "We're rich! Now I can replace our belongings and the three of us can move back home! Isn't this great, Loki?" he cries, turning towards him.

"Yeah. Fantastic," Loki mutters, slouching behind him, "I guess some good came from this after all. Aren't we lucky?" he sighs as he drags his feet back towards the house. Loki stops at the edge of the crater, trying his best to appear happy. "Well come on, let's go tell the others."


	9. Worst Week

**Author's Note:** The following chapter deals with some very sad topics involving death and the grieving process. If this is something you are uncomfortable reading about, I encourage you to skip this chapter. My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced a loss.

* * *

 **Twisted**

 _Chapter Nine – Worst Week_

Loki is lying face down on his bed, fast asleep, when his phone starts vibrating on the nightstand next to him. Loki groans and groggily sits up, giving the screen a once-over, before answering the call. "Hey," he states.

" _Hey,"_ Crystal's soft feminine voice rings out from the other end, _"You busy? I need you to come over."_

" _Now_?" Loki chimes, taking a peek at the clock on his nightstand, "It's five in the morning, and I'm going to see you at the office in a few hours."

" _Yeah, I know,"_ Crystal replies, her voice starting to crack, _"But trust me, this can't wait."_

"Alright," Loki says, noting the serious tone that is in her voice, as he rests his hand against the empty side of the mattress, "I'll be there soon."

Loki hangs up the phone and gets up out of bed. Five minutes later, he is walking down the stairs in his everyday attire. He scans the area briefly before he approaches the front door. He sighs and grabs the doorknob, suddenly feeling queasy in his stomach.

"Hey! I have great news!" a familiar voice chimes behind him. Loki shrieks and turns around, finding himself face-to-face with none other than Vidcund. "I just got the check for my portion of the oil. I'm going to pay off the cost of the Will Wright bust to you guys, then my brothers and I will replace all our stolen belongings, and we'll be out of here by Thursday!"

"Fantastic," Loki groans, still trying to cease his rapid heartbeat, "But can you not tell me this at five a.m.? I'm busy!" he snaps, "Go back to bed, Curious!"

Vidcund steps back, clearly hurt by this comment. "Oh, sorry," he apologizes, his shoulders slightly slumped, "I thought you'd be happy for us."

"Yeah, well, I'm not," Loki remarks, walking around Vidcund and exiting out the front door. Loki walks down the staircase and shakes his head, hoping to push this news into the back of his mind.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Loki is standing on Crystal's front porch waiting for her to answer the door. The door swings open and Loki steps into the living room, the young townie's back to him. "Alright, it's five twenty-three on a Monday," Loki begins, throwing his arms out, "either this is a work emergency or some kind of strange booty call-" Loki stops in his tracks as Crystal turns around. Her clothes are torn slightly and she has dark circles under both her eyes. Crystal's tear-stained cheeks and red face suggest that she hadn't slept in days. "Whoa Crystal, is everything okay?" Loki wonders, his face filling with concern as he cautiously steps towards her. Crystal immediately steps back, unable to look at him.

"Loki, I'm so sorry," she states, shaking her head as she covers her face with her hands.

"What do you mean you're sorry?" Loki speaks up, clearly confused, "You didn't do anything-"

"Yes, I did," Crystal cries, still staring towards the ground, "I miscarried! I lost the baby!" she screams, before bursting into tears and crouching on the ground. She cries into the carpet.

Loki leans back, her words striking him hard. He feels as though they sucked out every fiber of his being. Loki kneels next to her, his hand on his chest as he experiences a paint her never felt before…heartbreak.

"Oh God," he musters, his face filling with anguish.

Crystal turns her head slightly and gazes into his eyes, her eyes seemingly drowning in tears. "I'm so sorry," she states once more, barely able to push out her words.

"No. It's not your fault," Loki reassures her, tearing up a bit as he wraps his arms around the distraught townie. She sits up and throws her head down into his chest, crying in his arms. Unbeknownst to her, Loki is crying as well; the pair positively devastated.

…

Later that day, Loki is lying down on Crystal's couch holding onto Crystal, who hasn't moved in hours. Loki's phone goes off in his front pocket. He sighs and slowly takes it out, staring down at the screen. The screen reads 6:15 p.m. and is flashing a photo of Circe. Loki immediately rejects the call, not giving it a second thought.

"Loki, I really appreciate you staying with me today," Crystal sniffs, "but you really need to go home and be with your family."

"You're my family," Loki reminds her, pulling Crystal into a slight embrace as his phone rings once more. Loki sighs as a photo of Vidcund appears onscreen. He rejects the call. "Crystal, you're a strong woman. We'll get through this."

The next day, Loki walks into the living room carrying food from the kitchen. Loki notices the kitchen is covered with piles of garbage, which is stacked on top of several of the baby items. "We should really clean this place up," Loki comments as he approaches the grieving woman on the couch, "No wonder why you're feeling down."

"Yeah…" Crystal trails off, staring at the dust colored carpet as she grabs the bowl of cereal from Loki. She takes one bite of the cereal and hands it back to him, "You can have the rest, I'm not hungry," she tells him.

Loki stares down at the nearly-filled bowl of cereal and looks back up at Crystal, clearly concerned. "Crystal, come on, you gotta eat. I don't want to lose you, too." Crystal sighs and turns away from him as Loki sits down next to her. "Look, I can fix this, okay? I have an invention that can erase memories; I can make you forget this whole thing ever happened."

"I don't want to forget our child, Loki," Crystal states, staring up at him with her tear-stained eyes, "She's the one thing I want to remember." Loki nods, understanding completely, and pulls Crystal into a hug.

Early Wednesday morning, Loki is lying down in the master bedroom with Crystal, the pair successfully sleeping for the first time in three days. Loki sighs as he grabs his phone off the nightstand and scrolls through the thirty-one missed calls on his phone. Loki reaches the bottom of the list, surprised to find that most of the calls were from Vidcund.

Crystal sighs and turns on her side, having just woken up from her slumber, "Loki," she weakly states, giving a small yawn, "Thanks for being here with me these last few days," she sincerely tells him, "but you really need to go home now."

Loki puts down his phone and gives a small nod as he stares down at her. "Alright."

…

A few hours later, Loki strolls down the Road to Nowhere, lost in thought. He approaches the community pool, pushes open the gate, and walks inside. Loki sighs as he takes a seat on one of the benches, staring out at the sparkling blue water.

"Honey, be careful! Don't run!" a woman calls out to her child. Loki watches as Jenny Smith chases after Jill, grabbing her before she hits the water. Loki gives a small sniff, his eyes starting to sting. He quickly stands up from the bench and heads back home, trying his best to hide the tears that are falling down his face.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Loki steps into the foyer of his house and starts flipping through the pile of mail that is situated on an antique end table by the door. Vidcund immediately walks down the stairs when he hears him. Vidcund slowly steps forward, fiddling with his hands a bit, as he eagerly approaches Loki.

"Hey, I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been?" Vidcund wonders.

Loki continues to flip through the mail, not bothering to even look at him. "None of your business, Curious," he mutters.

"Well, it would be nice to know, especially since I spent the last three days worrying about you."

"-I'm fine," Loki states sharply, "Now are there any more questions, Sherlock? Or can I go through the mail in peace?" he snaps, circling through the mail a second time.

"Fine, no more questions," Vidcund says, stepping forward and pulling Loki into an awkward hug as Loki stiffly stands there, "I'm just really glad you're here," he confesses, gazing up at Loki's face. Vidcund tilts his forehead in uncertainty. "Have you been crying?" he speculates.

"No. Now leave me alone!" Loki growls, moving away from him. Vidcund follows Loki into the kitchen and watches as he starts to inspect the countertops, Vidcund's hands clasped behind his back as he slowly approaches him.

"You know, I went to the Physics Department today-"

"Did you?" Loki interrupts, clearly disinterested as he scans over the dust particles on the countertop.

"-I did," Vidcund confirms, "You weren't there," he states suddenly, watching as Loki slowly stands up in place. "Craig said you haven't been there at all this week. What is going on with you?"

"Nothing," Loki speaks suddenly, adjusting the bowl of fruit that is sitting on the countertop, "-I just needed some time off."

"For what?"

"Again, it's none of your business," Loki remarks, heading towards the stairs. He stops once he reaches the banister and turns to Vidcund. "Now don't go spreading this information around, I don't want Circe to know about it."

Vidcund tilts his forehead, puzzled by Loki's comment. "Since when do you care about Circe?" he wonders.

"What are you talking about, Viddy? I care about everyone," Loki softly states, clinging onto the wooden banister. Vidcund gazes up wondrously, clearly taken aback by this sudden personality change.

" _Who the hell is this guy? And what has he done with Loki?"_ he ponders.

…

Later that afternoon, Vidcund is in the guest bedroom sorting through his clothes, the house surprisingly silent around him. Both Pascal and Lazlo are out for the day, attending various festivities, leaving the Curious brother alone in the estate with Loki. Vidcund sighs as he picks up a pair of his signature white pants. He grabs them by the hem and shakes them out, attempting to straighten the legs. Vidcund gasps as the break-up letter he wrote Loki flies out of the pocket and lands in the hallway in front of the approaching scientist. Vidcund holds his breath and cowers a bit, as a slightly intrigued Loki picks it up and reads it over, fearing for the worst. Upon finishing the letter, Loki folds it back up and gives a shrug, setting it on the hallway table before exiting into his bedroom.

Vidcund creeps into the hallway and quickly snatches the letter from the end table, stuffing it into his coat pocket as he stares deeply perturbed at Loki's door. Vidcund sighs and shakes his head, a burning feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. " _Something is really wrong here, and I've got to find out what._ "

…

"So let me get this straight: You're worried because Loki is acting like a normal person by admitting that he cares about people?" Pascal questions, both he and Lazlo are situated on the guest bed staring up at their middle brother, after being rushed into the enclosed room a few minutes prior.

Vidcund sighs and gives a confident nod. "Yes."

"Okay, just checking!" Pascal chimes.

"Wait, I'm confused," Lazlo states next to him, glancing at his brothers, "Why should we be worried about Loki again?"

"Because, he's obviously going through some sort of midlife crisis where he wants to gradually adapt himself into a glowing, fully-functional member of society!" Pascal replies, as if it's obvious.

Vidcund stares at him strangely. "Um, no," he corrects, "We should be worried because this is abnormal behavior for him, and usually a rapid change in behavior is a sign of drugs…or worse," he adds.

"Uh-huh," Pascal nods, tapping his finger against his chin, "And since when do you care about Loki?" he asks; Vidcund intensely locks eyes with him. "Oh. Oh, _right_ ," Pascal coos, before swinging his hand down and making the whipping sound.

Vidcund blushes slightly. "Not in front of Lazlo!" he whines.

Pascal rolls his eyes. "Please! He's not even paying attention, see?" Pascal states, gesturing over to Lazlo who is tapping away on his Game Boy.

Vidcund wipes his forehead with his hand and gives a sigh of relief. "Thank God for video games," he mutters. "Anyway, in light of this whole situation, I think we should stay here for a little longer. At least until they install the toilet back home."

"Fine," Pascal pouts, springing up from the bed, "I'll put up with these people for a few more days. Besides, this will give me plenty of time to seduce Nervous!"

" _What_?!"

"Nothing! Gotta tinkle!" Pascal rings, racing out the door, leaving Vidcund troubled.

After a few moments, Lazlo looks up from his video game and turns to his brother. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" he asks.

…

It's 12:37 a.m. and Loki finds himself sleepless on his king-sized mattress, staring up at the popcorn ceiling. Outside, a bolt of lightning strikes in the distance as a storm abnormally passes through Strangetown. Loki sighs as he looks to his left, Circe fast asleep, turned away from him. Loki sighs once more and slowly climbs out of bed, trying his best to move swiftly. He reaches the exit and steps into the hallway. He stops in front of the guest bedroom, which is opened slightly, and briefly peeks in, finding all three of the Curious brothers fast asleep. Loki sighs, then heads towards the roof.

…

Three hours later, a large bolt of lightning hits the ground, waking Vidcund. Vidcund pulls himself out of the covers and frantically scans the area, his face sweating. Scared, Vidcund grabs Pascal by the shoulder and shakes him awake. "Pascal! _Pascal, wake up!_ " he whisper-shouts, "I thought I heard something outside!"

" _Ergh_ ," Pascal groans, still half-asleep "It was probably just the storm. Go back to bed, or annoy your boyfriend about it," he grumbles.

Vidcund nods, seemingly agreeing with this suggestion, and gets out of bed in search of Loki. He reaches the master bedroom and slowly opens the door. " _Loki?_ " he chimes. Hearing silence, Vidcund steps in slightly and squints his eyes, finding Loki's side of the bed empty.

Vidcund quickly steps away from the door and starts searching through the upstairs rooms, his stomach in knots as he reaches the bottom of the first-floor staircase without having found him. Vidcund goes through the remaining rooms on the first floor and peeks into the basement, but Loki is nowhere in sight.

" _Loki! Loki!_ " Vidcund whisper-shouts, a bit louder this time, as he makes his way back up to the second floor. Vidcund turns towards the window, the rain pouring down even harder outside. Lightning strikes the ground once more, as Vidcund spots Loki's shoes in front of the balcony door.

"Oh God, no!" Vidcund cries, hoping that for once, he has put two and two together incorrectly.

Vidcund races up the exterior staircase and reaches the roof of the Beaker estate, soaked from head to toe. Vidcund's eyes move to the cement floor as he scans the balcony, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

"LOKI!" Vidcund screams, his eyes landing on the soaked sim that is collapsed on the ground in front of him; the telescope has cracked over his midsection.

"No, no, no! No, no, no!" Vidcund cries, racing over to Loki and crouching down next to him. Vidcund grunts as he pushes the telescope off his body and attempts to lift the scientist from the ground. Vidcund groans as he sets Loki down, his soaked clothes making him much harder to pick up. Vidcund presses his ear up against Loki's chest, giving a rather large sigh of relief when he hears his heartbeat.

"Oh thank God," Vidcund states, still hanging onto him. Vidcund scans the roof in panic, the storm drawing nearer.

"CIRCE! PASCAL! LAZLO! HELP!" Vidcund shouts, the normally soft-spoken scientist screaming so loud his voice cracks.

 _The Next Morning_

"So, how long do you think he was out there?" Pascal asks the doctor. He, Vidcund, and Lazlo are in a hospital room at Strangetown General standing beside Loki, who is asleep in a hospital bed, an IV strapped to his arm.

"Based on what he looked like when you brought him here, I'd say about three hours," the doctor answers, jotting down a few notes on his clipboard. "Thank goodness you three found him when you did, a few more hours and he would've been a goner."

"Really?" Vidcund squeaks, tearing up a bit as he stares down at Loki. "Oh God…" he calls out, attempting to hide the distress on his face with his hand as he turns slightly.

"So, do you have any idea why he was out there?" the doctor asks them, holding his pen up, awaiting their answer.

"Well, uh, no," Vidcund answers honestly, letting out a small sigh, "I found the telescope on top of him last night, but it was terrible weather for stargazing. He had been acting unusual yesterday, but we had yet to figure out what the cause was."

The doctor nods and writes a few things down on his clipboard. "Ah…" he says. The doctor stops writing and glances up at Vidcund. "And what is your relationship to the patient?" he wonders, pointing to the subject in question.

Vidcund's eyes open slightly, mirroring a deer caught in the headlights of a minivan. "Uh…" he stalls, scrunching his forehead trying to define it. "Well…"

Next to him, Pascal crosses his arms over his torso, a rather large smirk forming on his face. "Don't strain yourself, lover boy."

"-Friends. We're friends," Vidcund quickly answers over him. The doctor nods and makes a checkmark before flipping through a few of the pages.

"So where's Mr. Beaker's wife?" the doctor wonders, releasing the papers and staring up at the Curious brothers. The Curious brothers exchange awkward glances with each other.

"She didn't want to come," Vidcund responds, his hands folded as his eyes trail to the floor, "I guess they got into a fight after he disappeared for three days earlier this week."

"I see," the doctor states, making a few more markings, "Well, based on what you told me, I think it's more likely than not that Loki did this to himself, possibly due to depression, which could've been caused by a number of factors," he tells them, "The best thing we can do for him now is to keep him here until he re-stabilizes and fully recovers," the doctor says, backtracking towards the door, "He should wake up shortly, just try not to overwhelm him," he advises as everyone turns and stares at Pascal.

"What is everyone looking at me for?" Pascal questions, slightly offended, "What? Does he not like the puppet?" Pascal chimes, holding up the peacock puppet that is draped over his arm. The doctor rolls his eyes and exits the room, leaving the three brothers alone with Loki.

Pascal sighs and walks over to Loki's bedside. His brothers watch, intrigued, as Pascal hangs his head in sorrow. "Goodnight, sweet prince," he squeaks, shaking his head.

"I can't believe the doctor didn't even entertain the thought that someone else could've done this to him," Lazlo says, peering up at his brothers from his Game Boy.

Pascal gasps and throws his hands up to his cheeks. "Lazlo's right, there's a murderer in Strangetown!" he cries.

Vidcund lowers his eyebrows. "There's already a murderer in Strangetown, and Loki's not dead," he grumbles.

"Are you sure?" Pascal questions, stopping to examine Loki over more closely, "Cause it looks like he has a serious oxygen shortage in his face," he remarks, pointing up at Loki's head.

Vidcund joins Pascal at Loki's bedside. "He always looks like that," he comments.

Pascal wrinkles his face in disgust. "Ew," he shivers as Vidcund kneels in front of Loki's bed. Pascal backs away from the bed and nudges Lazlo with his elbow. "Did you know there was a murderer in Strangetown?"

"Yeah. Sometimes she makes me cookies," Lazlo adds, his eyes glued to his game.

Fifteen minutes later, the Curious brothers are still situated around the hospital room waiting for Loki to stir. Lazlo is leaning up against the wall continuing to play on his Game Boy, while Vidcund is plopped down in one of the bedside chairs, tiredly holding his head up with his elbow. Nearby, Pascal is standing next to Loki, pressing various buttons on the remote.

"Hey! This one controls the bed!" Pascal claims, alternating between two buttons. "Up! Down! Up! Down! Up! Down!" he choruses causing Loki's bed to mirror the motions.

"Pascal!" Vidcund calls out, immediately jumping out of his chair. He confiscates the remote from his brother and grips it securely in his hand. "Stop that! If you're really bored then why don't you and Lazlo get food?"

"Fine!" Pascal sighs, passing by his youngest brother. "Come on Lazzie boy!" he cheers, grabbing Lazlo by the arm and dragging him out the door.

As soon as the pair leaves, Vidcund scans the room and kneels at Loki's side. Vidcund sighs and wraps his hand delicately around Loki's. He gives it a gentle squeeze.

" _Loki?_ " Vidcund whispers, squinting to get a good look at his lover, "Loki?"

Loki turns to the side and slowly opens his eyes. "Vid? Why the hell are you saying my name?" he moans.

"Oh thank God!" Vidcund speaks, throwing his arms around him and holding him close. Loki stiffens slightly, finding this whole situation rather awkward. "I thought I lost you! Don't ever leave me again!" he cries, holding him closer.

Loki tilts his forehead. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I found you collapsed on the roof in the middle of a thunderstorm early this morning soaked from head to toe," Vidcund explains, "A few more hours and you wouldn't have made it!" he recalls, tears forming in his eyes, "Then I never would've been able to tell you that I love you."

"Oh God," Loki moans, shaking his head as he grows impatient. "Thanks for saving me, Vid, but I can't handle this right now," he confesses wholeheartedly, a tinge of irritation in his voice. "Please go."

Vidcund looks up, clearly hurt, unable to believe what he is hearing. "But Loki –"

" _Now_ ," Loki states firmly.

Vidcund squints his eyes, scanning for any hint of insincerity in Loki's face. Finding none, he silently stands up from Loki's bedside and exits the room, gazing woundedly back at Loki, before wistfully slinking away.

…

Later that afternoon, Loki is lying down awake on his side, turned away from the open door. Loki sighs and turns his body around, eyeing Vidcund who is fast asleep on a wooden bench in the hallway. _"What the hell is wrong with me?"_ Loki questions, _"A great guy tells me that he loves me and I push him away? I really am an idiot…"_

"Mr. Beaker, you have a visitor," the nurse states, popping her head into the room.

"That's okay," Loki replies, waving his hand out in protest, "I don't really want to see anyone-"

The nurse backs up, allowing a casually-dressed Crystal to enter the room. Crystal smiles when she sees him, the young woman nicely dressed and properly groomed for the first time in a week.

"Hey," Loki squeaks, a calming presence washing over him as she walks over to him, carrying her purse. Loki sits up in bed.

"Hey," Crystal greets, stopping in front of the bed. "Well, look at you finally using our health benefits," she smirks, taking a seat on the chair beside him. "Truth be told, I thought it would be a lot nicer than this," Crystal remarks, taking a look around.

Loki nods. "Yeah, I guess there were a lot of births today-" Loki stops suddenly, noticing the discomfort that is forming on Crystal's face. He clears his throat, "Uh, you look nice."

Crystal smiles and gazes down at the white floral short-sleeved shirt and beige capris that she is wearing. "Thanks," she replies, "Who knew I owned casual clothes?" Loki gives a weak laugh, before the room fills with silence.

"How are you doing?" Crystal speaks, breaking the silence. "You know, with all this?"

"Not good," Loki answers honestly, "I thought I would be better at coping with this, but it still hurts like Hell when I think about it," he claims, Crystal redirecting her gaze to the floor. "Who told you I was here?" he wonders.

"Lazlo," Crystal responds, "We were supposed to go out today," she adds, meeting Loki's bewildered glance, "Yeah, I didn't really know what I was thinking."

"Oh," Loki says, staring down at his hands, "Well, it was nice of you to come."

"'It was nice of me to come'?" Crystal repeats, her forehead scrunched as if something is not sitting right with this statement, "See, you would never say that. You need to snap out of this, Loki."

"I know!" Loki cries, clearly distressed as he turns to her, "I don't know why I can't move on! It makes no logical sense – I don't even like children," he confesses, "but for some reason when I found out you were pregnant, part of me was super excited," he states, gently grabbing her hand and holding it.

Crystal nods, her eyes shining as she tenderly strokes his palm. "Loki, that's really sweet. In fact, that's probably the sweetest thing you've ever said, but you can't let this consume your life. That's not what our daughter would want," she tells him, "Look, I know this has been a difficult time for both of us, but I'm here for you whenever you want to talk about it. And if you feel like that's not enough, you should definitely enroll in grief counselling; it helped me a lot so far," Crystal advises, giving his hand another stroke, "And then, if you're still having a hard time getting past this, you can try channeling your grief into something creative, like a painting or something science related, you like that stuff," Crystal reminds him, "But sometimes the best way to cope with a loss is to face it head-on."

"Okay," Loki answers, after having listened to every word she said, "I'll try. I promise."

"Good," Crystal says, gazing at the open door. "Oh, and be nice to Vidcund. He's trying his hardest and he really loves you. I mean, what sim with ten neat points would sleep on a bench in a hospital? That's insane," she remarks, giving Loki a gentle pat.

Loki nods and turns his attention to the doorway, once again staring at his slumbering boyfriend, who is lounged across the bench in the hallway. "Yeah. It is," he agrees, a strange tingly feeling washing over him. "Man, if I was ever able to feel cutesy emotions, I'd probably be feeling one right now," he confesses.

"Mr. Beaker," the doctor calls out, stepping into the room with a clipboard in hand, "all your tests came back negative. You're free to go," he states, stopping slightly when he sees Crystal, "Are you going home with her?" he asks, gesturing his pen at her.

"Yes," Loki states firmly.

"Loki, no," Crystal butts in, shaking her head, "You need to go back to your house with your wife and your boyfriend," she calmly tells him. A few feet away, the doctor cocks his head and stares at them strangely, before double-checking his paperwork.

"I don't want to go back to my house; I don't feel welcomed there," Loki confesses, "Circe hasn't even been here since I came to the hospital. Even Nervous came to visit me, though that may have been out of fear – I'm not going to analyze the specifics," he mutters.

"Alright, maybe you two are going through a bit of a rough patch right now, but the Curious brothers will look out for you. They did a great job of that this morning," Crystal attempts to soothe him, "Plus, you have two medical professionals living in your house. If you stayed with me, I wouldn't be able to care for you during the day; I have to go back to work."

"Oh," Loki states, his facial expression sinking at this news. "You're going back to work."

"Yes," Crystal nods, "And you should, too! Your coworkers miss you, Loki. Things are too peaceful at SimSanto," she adds, Loki cracking a small smile at her joke.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Someone has to put Craig in his place," Loki declares, positioning his legs over the side of the bed. "Alright. Let's blow this popsicle joint!"

Loki heads towards the door, only to be met by a handful of paperwork from the doctor. "-Er, after I fill all this out," he groans.

…

Thirty-five minutes later, Loki is standing in the hallway in front of the wooden bench after having departed ways with Crystal a few short moments ago. Loki sighs as he reaches down, delicately playing with Vidcund's soft, blonde hair as the plant biologist remains fast asleep below him. " _Vidcund…Vidcund!_ " Loki whisper-shouts, playfully poking him in the side.

"Hm?" Vidcund mutters, slowly opening his eyes.

"Vidcund, hurry up! Get the idiots and let's go! We don't have time for you to just lounge around," Loki comments, a hint of his usual sass returning.

Vidcund groans and groggily sits up on the bench. He rubs his tired eyes and stares up at Loki.

"Come on, I'll buy you dinner," Loki offers, holding his hand out and helping Vidcund up. Loki shyly looks down at the ground when they come face-to-face. "Thanks for waiting for me," he sincerely states, a slight blush forming on his cheeks as he stares awkwardly at the ground. Loki leans forward and kisses Vidcund on the cheek. Vidcund backs up slightly, waking up completely as he is taken off-guard, covering his lips with his hand, his face flushed.

"You kissed me in public," Vidcund awes, astonished by this occurrence.

"-Don't get used to it," Loki remarks, a small smile forming on his face. Loki looks up and eyes Crystal, who is down the hallway conversing with Lazlo. Crystal smiles as she watches Loki wrap his arm around Vidcund, giving him an appreciative pat on the back before leading him down the hall.

Behind them, Pascal steps out from the neighboring hospital room, his mind racing a mile a minute as he recalls the conversation he overheard in Loki's room forty-five minutes prior. Pascal lingers out into the hallway and plops down onto the bench, bringing his hand up to his chin as he ponders what he should do, knowing quite well there is no easy answer.


	10. Creative Innovators

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Ten – Creative Innovators_

Crystal sighs as she approaches the ten-story SimSanto building, her arms filled with paperwork as she walks up the front staircase on a Monday morning. Crystal stops in front of the glass double doors, scanning the beautiful outdoor scenery one last time before entering the drab interior.

"Here, I can get that for you!" Pascal calls out, beating Crystal to the door handle and opening the door.

"Thanks," Crystal replies, walking sharply through the doorway with papers in both hands. She heads towards the staircase.

"Crystal, we need to talk!" Circe chimes, blocking her path, the scientist's arms crossed.

Crystal stops in place, Circe's icy glare causing her stomach to flop. "Ookay," Crystal responds quickly, trying her best to remain calm. "Do you mind if we talk upstairs?"

A short while later, Crystal and Circe arrive at the second floor. Crystal walks over to her desk and unloads the papers onto it. She sighs, dusts her hands off, and faces Circe. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Circe gazes down at the floor and starts fiddling with her hands, her icy demeanor instantly fading. "I uh- want Loki back," she softly states.

"Okay," Crystal says, holding back a sigh of relief, "That shouldn't be a problem. I'll just rearrange some things, and he'll be back on your floor-"

"No," Circe speaks suddenly, "I mean, I want him back as a boyfriend," she clarifies, clasping her hands in front of her midsection, "I really want to date him again."

"Oh," Crystal squeaks, clearly taken off-guard, "But aren't you dating Vidcund?"

Circe nods. "Yeah, but he has no drive," Circe tells her, "We all know his career is going nowhere! I mean, have you ever heard of a rich florist?"

"Circe, I don't know if you getting back together with Loki is good idea," Crystal comments, "The company really can't afford to lose both of you if your relationship goes off the rails again."

"It's not going to," Circe assures her, "this time I'm in it for the long run. Loki and I are so similar, there's no way this won't work. Besides, it's not like he's seeing anyone else, so what do I have to lose?"

Crystal nods and stiffens up a bit, giving a nervous laugh as she awkwardly stares off to the side. "Yeah, really."

"Hey, you're kinda close to him," Circe begins, snapping her fingers as a thought pops into her mind, "Can you run the idea of us getting back together by him and see what he says?" she asks.

Crystal tensely scratches the back her head. "Well-"

The door hinges creak behind them as Loki smugly steps into the room carrying his briefcase. He slams the door and walks towards them.

"Ladies," he cheerily greets, giving Crystal a nod. He stops in front of Circe and shoots her a glare. " _Circe_ ," he snarls, quickly changing his tone. Loki passes by them, throws his briefcase onto his desk, and lounges back in his seat. He rests his legs up on his desk as Circe walks over to him.

She looks down at her watch. "You're late, genius," she glares, crossing her arms.

"Well excuse me, attendance police! I was visiting my mother," Loki counters, moving his mouse to wake up his desktop.

"Oh yeah," Circe recalls, loosening up a bit, "How's she doing anyway?" she wonders.

"Not good," Loki answers, putting his legs down as he turns towards his computer screen, "The doctor just told her she can't Woohoo anymore and she's been taking it real hard."

Circe cocks her forehead as Crystal anxiously plays with her hands behind her, "Isn't she an elder?" she questions.

"Yeah…" Loki trails off, awkwardly fumbling with his computer. "Now go back to your own floor, Snooperella, I got stuff to do!"

Circe crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at Loki, her cold demeanor resurfacing. " _Fine,_ " she growls, sliding her arm across Loki's desk and knocking off half of his belongings. She shoots him a salty smirk.

"Wow, real mature," Loki states, not bothering to look up from his work.

Circe strolls over to Crystal, who is flashing a look of terror mixed with indigestion on her face. "Ask him," Circe mouths as she heads towards the exit. The double doors slam shut.

Crystal sighs as she turns her attention to Loki, who is still working on his computer, thoughts of his proposition still flooding her mind. She slowly steps over to him, stopping quietly in front of his desk. "Hey Loki-"

"Forget it, Crystal. I'm not dating that lunatic," Loki cuts off, his eyes glued to the screen.

"No, it's not that," Crystal claims, still playing with her hands. Hearing this, Loki looks up from his computer. "I uh – never mind," Crystal chickens out suddenly.

Loki tilts his forehead, intrigued. "You sure?" he wonders.

Crystal nods. "Yeah, it's not a big deal," she assures him, before returning to her seat across the room.

…

A couple hours later, Crystal is busy at her desk sorting paperwork while Loki is still sitting at his desk across the room. "Hey cutie," he speaks up as Crystal rummages through the files, "Man, you're hot. I'd love to take you out sometime."

Crystal sighs and plops her hands down on the pile of papers. "Loki, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't say those things to me at work-" she states. Crystal spins around in her seat only to find Loki holding a hand mirror up to his face. He locks eyes with her.

"Ookay," Crystal says, spinning back around in her seat, "Forget I said anything," Crystal replies, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. She returns to her paperwork right as the phone rings.

Crystal quickly picks up her desk phone and holds it up to her ear. "SimSanto Incorporated, this is Crystal speaking," she chimes, Loki sitting up from his seat in interest.

"Yeah, we offer all those services, including machinery repair," Crystal notifies the potential investor. She takes out a notepad and starts writing down information as Loki approaches her desk. "We also have specialists in all three departments. Is there one in particular you're interested in?" she asks as Loki starts fiddling with her clock. He puts it down and starts tapping her on the shoulder.

"Crystal?" he whispers.

Crystal shakes her head no and concentrates on the call. "Okay. Well, our biology department is growing every month, so it is definitely a wise idea to jump onto the bandwagon now," she states, trying to nudge Loki away from her desk with her foot. "Yeah, just give me your email and I can send you some more information," she pauses. "Great. I'll send it within the hour," she promises, writing the email address down on her notepad, "Uh-huh. It was nice talking to you, too. Bye," Crystal hangs up the phone and stares up at Loki. "What?" she remarks, clearly irritated.

"I just wanted to tell you that I borrowed your pen," Loki answers, holding up the item in question.

"You wanted me to get off the phone for _that_?"

"Hey, it was a big enough deal for you to write me up last time," Loki reminds her, pushing the pen into her pencil holder.

Crystal folds her arms. "Don't you have anything better to do than bother me?" she wonders.

"Apparently not," Loki shrugs, "Well…not exactly. I do have to come up with an invention this month, but I've been in kind of a rut lately," he confesses, playing with Crystal's mini hourglass.

Crystal leans back and nods, surprisingly compassionate. "Well, why don't you go upstairs and talk to the other scientists?"

"Because I hate people," Loki rolls his eyes, "especially people who are scientifically inferior to me."

"Wow, you must be a real hoot at parties," Crystal comments, "And it's sad that I already know that's true," she adds. "But I wouldn't stress out about this, Loki, you're great at coming up with the latest innovations."

"You're right, Crystal, I am awesome!" Loki chimes, setting the mini hourglass back on Crystal's desk and standing up triumphantly, "And nothing is going to stop me from achieving scientific success!" Suddenly, Loki's wristwatch starts beeping. He stares down at it briefly before clicking it off. "Hey, it's lunch," he speaks.

…

Loki and Crystal walk down the corridor together, the pair silent as they approach the cafeteria. They step into the nearly-empty room, Crystal's stomach in knots as she follows behind him. Loki sits down at one of the gray circular tables and takes out his lunch. Crystal scans the spacious room, before taking the seat across from him.

"Quiet day," she remarks.

"You're telling me," Loki comments, eyeing the room as well, "I guess no one decided to show up today once word got out that Eric wasn't coming."

Crystal nods, biting her lip slightly as she watches Loki take a bite of his sandwich. "So, aren't you going to ask me about it?" she states, leaning a tad forward.

Loki scrunches his eyebrows, intrigued. "About what?" he wonders.

"You know," Crystal says, scooting closer to him. She lowers her voice, "your proposal?" she completes.

"Oh that," Loki recalls. He shrugs, "Eh, I figured you would tell me when you're ready."

"Wow," Crystal states, leaning back in her seat, "That's surprisingly mature."

"Just because I don't act mature, doesn't mean I'm incapable of it," Loki tells her, before taking another bite of his sandwich. Loki watches as a few of his fellow third-floor physicists sit down at the table next to them. They start whispering amongst themselves, occasionally glancing over at Loki and Crystal. Loki leans inward towards the table and lowers his voice to a whisper.

"Don't look now, but I think those idiots over there are gossiping about us," he informs her.

Crystal turns slightly and pretends to look at a nutritional poster on the wall, putting the table of physicists straight in her peripheral vision. After a few moments, she leans back over the table and rejoins Loki. "I think you're right," she confirms.

"Hey Crystal! Hey Loki! Can I sit with you guys?" Pascal asks, stopping in front of their table with a red lunch tray in hand.

Crystal gives a pleasant smile, "Sure."

"No," Loki answers simultaneously.

"Great!" Pascal chimes, setting his tray down and taking the seat between them; Loki flashes Crystal a glare as he does so, "You know, this is the first table I haven't been rejected from," he notes.

"Congratulations," Loki grumbles, "But why can't you just sit with your brother?"

Pascal slouches down in his seat and sighs. "I can't sit with Vidcund anymore, Circe says I smell funny. Well sor _ry_ if the smell of success just so happens to share its stench with poo!" he announces, crossing his arms with sass.

Loki turns back towards the physicist table, his coworkers' gossip in full swing. Loki stands up and throws his arms out, facing them, "Hey! Why don't you idiots take a picture? It'll last longer!" he declares. A few of the physicists take out their phones and snap photos. "Ha! Now I can report you to H.R.!" Loki shouts, taking out his cell phone. He accidentally takes a picture with it. "Damn it!"

…

Later that afternoon, Crystal is typing out the email for the potential investor as Loki sits at his desk. Loki slouches towards the surface of the desk, his eyes closing slightly as he starts to doze off. Loki's head hits the surface as he falls into a deep slumber. Crystal looks over from across the room and gets up from her seat.

"Loki?" she calls out, nudging him in the shoulder. "Loki, wake up! You're going to get in trouble!" she warns, shaking him awake by the shoulders.

Loki sighs and defeatedly turns his head on the desk to face her. "What's the point?" he moans, "I'm in a creative slump. I haven't been able to come up with anything good in months! I think I've peaked."

"At twenty-seven?"

Loki shrugs. "It happens. Just look at Pascal," he adds, staring off towards the wall.

"So that's it? You're just going to let him beat you?" Crystal states, crossing her arms as she sassily smirks down at him, "This isn't like you at all."

"Well, I'm glad I gave off that vibe in the three months that you've known me," Loki states, giving his eyes a roll. He lifts his head up and leans back in his seat, throwing his hands down as he stares up at the ceiling. "Ugh, I'm useless!" he cries, "I can't believe I can't come up with anything! Is this how Craig feels all the time?"

Crystal rolls her eyes. "Look Loki, if you're having so much trouble coming up with something, why don't we have a brainstorming session? Just toss out whatever ideas come to mind, and maybe you can use one of them to form something plausible," she suggests, taking out a pad of paper. Loki sits up in his seat and turns to her. "Alright, so what are you thinking about right now?" she wonders.

"I'm thinking about how to get revenge on Circe," Loki tells her, his face lighting up as he snaps his fingers. "Hey, that's it! A glove that ruins relationships! I'll call it the No Love Glove," he awes. Loki looks to Crystal, who is now staring at him bizarrely, her body frozen in place.

"Do all of your inventions have to be so weird?" Crystal questions, "I mean, first the Electric Vomit Recycler, now this?"

"Hey, the Electric Vomit Recycler was a life-changing invention that was _years_ ahead of its time!" he defends, "And no, my inventions don't always have to be weird, they just have to be evil."

"But by only inventing evil things you're only appealing to a small set of consumers," Crystal informs him, "If you widen your appeal by inventing something universal, you'll make a much higher profit."

Loki thinks this over for a bit, before narrowing his eyes in a huff. "Fine Ms. Consumer Analyst, we'll do it your way," he states reluctantly, impatiently tapping his fingers against the tabletop as he glances around the room. Suddenly, he snaps his fingers – an idea coming to him. "Hey, I got it! What about electronic toothpicks?"

"Uh, I think there's a reason why those haven't been invented yet," Crystal comments, staring down at the blank brainstorming notepad.

"Well, if you're so smart, why don't you try to come up with something?" Loki challenges, slouching back down in his seat.

"Hmm," Crystal ponders, tapping her pen against her chin as she stares at the ajar utility closet. "Well, if I wanted to make a lot of money off a product, I'd invent something that would better humanity as a whole like – I don't know – a machine that cures the common cold?" she suggests.

Loki lowers his eyebrows and peers at her. "That is the stupidest idea I've ever heard!" he wails, "Besides, if anything, I would make a machine that _creates_ illnesses, not cures them. I am an evil genius after all."

Crystal scrunches her forehead, "Wow, there's something to include on your business card," she remarks.

"Look Crystal, the point is that idea is a dud, and there is no way in hell that I would never invent that!" Loki declares, standing up and animatedly throwing his arm down.

 _Two Weeks Later_

"Introducing the latest and greatest milestone in medicinal technology, The Loki Beaker BioTech Station!" Loki announces, removing the white cloth off his machine and throwing it across the second-floor workstation. He turns to Crystal, who is sitting at her desk, and waves his hand down presenting the tan, five-foot-tall machine. "So, what do you think?" he asks, playfully patting the side of the machine as he leans his arm up against it.

Crystal whistles as she walks over to it. "Wow, I'm impressed. It looks just like the blueprints! What's it do?" she wonders.

"It weakens your enemies with a simple vile of potion," Loki tells her, removing some test tubes from the inside of the machine, "-Oh, and it cures illness," he adds, waving it off in disinterest, "but no one's going to use it for that."

"Ah Dr. Beaker, just the man I wanted to see!" Eric greets, strolling through the second-floor entrance. He stops between Loki and Crystal. "The patents for this machine were just approved this morning," Eric informs him, "This product is officially yours, which means we'd like to buy it from you."

Loki steps back, clearly astounded by this news. "Really?" he squeaks, skepticism quickly overflowing his mind. "Wait a minute, if I sell this to SimSanto, what's in it for me?" he asks.

"Money and the opportunity to know that you made a difference in thousands of sims' lives," Eric answers him.

Loki narrows his eyes at him, still leaning against the machine. "How much money?"

"Let's just put it this way: You'll never have to worry about saving for retirement again."

"Hmm, I'll do it if you change the music in the workstations; I want Classical, none of that New Age crap!" Loki exclaims. "And give me elite medical insurance, I want the best care package money can buy!" he negotiates, "Oh, and give her one, too," Loki adds, pointing behind him to Crystal. Crystal raises her eyebrows, shocked.

Eric moves his hand up to his chin, seriously thinking this over. After a few moments, he nods and holds his hand out. "Deal," he states, shaking Loki's hand.

Crystal watches as Eric exits the room, Loki appearing rather pleased with himself as he does so. Crystal walks over to Loki and throws her arms around him, wrapping him in a warm embrace. "Thanks Loki," she says, pulling away slightly so that she can look in his eyes.

"Hey, I may be a jerk, but I help people who help me out," Loki tells her, "Besides, the company was really only interested in the illness curing part of the machine so – congratulations, Vu," Loki beams, flashing Crystal his signature smirk.

…

A few hours later, Loki is walking up the stairs of the Physics Department, stopping when he reaches the third-floor water fountain. Loki bends over and takes a drink. "Hey Loki, I heard about the BioTech Station. Congratulations!" a voice rings out behind him.

Loki quickly turns around only to find himself face to face with a very cheerful Vidcund Curious. Loki clears his throat and wipes the excess water off his mouth with his sleeve. "Oh uh, thanks," Loki musters, suddenly finding himself feeling rather insecure around him. "I gotta pee."

Loki races into the third-floor workstation and into the back bathroom, leaving Vidcund confused in the hallway.

A few minutes later, he exits the back room and walks through the lab of physicists, several of which are blocking the main hall. He sighs, attempting to inch past Circe's desk, which is the closest to the door, but is accidentally blocked by Craig.

"Well, what do we have here?" Circe coos from her seat, "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me for long," Circe states, scooting towards him, "I heard about your invention, I guess good things do happen to bad scientists," she smirks.

"Wow, that's probably the closest thing to a compliment I've ever received from you," Loki remarks, staring down at her coldly, arms crossed, "And you wonder why we broke up."

"No, actually, I don't," Circe counters, sitting up in her desk chair, "I'm too busy enjoying my relationship with Vidcund Curious," she deviously gloats.

"Your _second_ relationship with Vidcund Curious," Loki corrects her, slamming his hands down on her desk, "which in and of itself is pathetic," he states, his eyes trailing down to Circe's desk. Loki eyes the framed photo of her and Vidcund that is situated on the corner next to her computer. He shudders and sticks out his tongue.

"I see you saw the photo of me and Vidcund. You jealous?" she asks, clearly getting pleasure out of Loki's reaction.

Loki quickly shakes his head. "No," he replies, "I just thought incriminating photos weren't allowed in the workplace," he jabs; he narrows his eyes at her.

"Well, now that you've succeeded scientifically, you're finally good enough to date me again," Circe declares, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him forward. "So what do you say?"

Loki steps backward and yanks his hand away from hers, glaring down at her with full force. "Terrible try princess, but in case you don't remember: I don't date nutcases!" Loki yells, making a beeline for the door.

Circe stands up from her seat and turns towards the exit. "Loki Beaker, you're a moron! No woman is ever going to date you but me!" she shouts after him.

…

Loki reaches the entrance to the second-floor workstation. He steps forward, heaving a sigh of relief as he returns to the peaceful, uncrowded room. Crystal looks up from her paperwork when she sees him, standing a few feet from her desk with a stack of papers in her hands.

"Hey, where have you been? You missed a few calls, I had to tell them you were at an important business meeting," she remarks. Crystal watches as Loki slowly steps forward, flashing a strange yet meaningful gaze that she has never seen before. "Are you alright? You look kinda drugged."

Loki nods and reaches towards her, grabbing the papers from Crystal. He sets them on the desk and lunges forward, pulling Crystal into a passionate embrace as he pushes his lips against her own.

"Loki-!" Crystal gasps as Loki starts nuzzling his nose into her neck. "We shouldn't be doing this now! What if someone sees?" she worries as Loki locks eyes with her.

"I don't care, as long as you love it," Loki moans, moving her towards the open closet. Loki leans forward and kisses her again as they step into the closet, feeling each other up the entire way.

…

An hour later, Loki and Crystal are lying down side-by-side on the floor of the pink carpeted closet, wrapped messily in their discarded clothes. Loki sighs as he lovingly rests his head on Crystal's shoulder, staring up at the ceiling.

"So, are you going to marry me now?" he quips, turning his head to the side to gaze at Crystal's face.

She laughs. "After that, I may have to," she replies, nudging him in the shoulder. "You know, you don't have that bad of a personality," Crystal notes.

"Aw, that's the best compliment I've gotten all day," Loki sincerely states, flashing a rather large smile as he stares up at the ceiling once more.

Suddenly, Crystal's cell phone starts vibrating from the corner of the closet. She quickly picks it up and flips it open. She scans through the message and turns to Loki, sitting up on the carpet. "Oh my gosh," Crystal awes, "Eric just sent an email out to the entire company saying he's retiring," she tells him as Loki sits up next to her, "He says he's going to name a successor, and look whose names are listed as the main candidates!"

Loki looks down at the bottom of the screen, grabbing Crystal's phone in hand as he reads off the three names listed. "'Loki Beaker, Crystal Vu, and Pascal Curious'?" he states, freezing up a bit, now realizing they are going to have to compete against each other. "Oh no," he sighs, "Well, talk about a mood killer."

"It's okay, we're all adults here," Crystal reminds him, "Who knows? Maybe he'll pick Pascal."

Loki hands the cell phone back to her and shivers. "Let's hope not, for our sanities' sake," he remarks, leaning up against the wall. "Say, we're not going to be reporting this to H.R., right?" Loki wonders, gesturing at the mess around them.

"No."

"Perfect, then let the better sim win!" Loki exclaims, leaning forward and giving Crystal a determined smirk, "Game on, Vu."


	11. The Next Level

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Eleven – The Next Level_

Three weeks after Dr. Santo's retirement announcement, Loki is walking up the stairs with his coffee in hand, the rays of light from the early morning sun seeping through the nearby window. Loki sighs as he rubs his aching forehead, passing by the doorway of Eric's office.

"Dr. Beaker, can you step into my office for a moment?" Eric's voice rings out from the open room, "There's something very urgent that I must discuss with you."

Loki stops in his tracks, feeling as though someone had punched him in the gut. Loki nods slightly and steps into Eric's office, gently closing the door behind him.

"Please, sit down," Eric instructs, gesturing across his desk at the empty seat.

Loki slowly sits down in the leather desk chair and scans the area, searching for any obvious signs of trouble. Finding none, he scoots forward a tad and takes a small sip of his coffee.

"Loki, I must be honest with you," Eric begins, resting his hands against the wooden surface, "Based on your credentials, you were the shoe-in to take my place as head of the company," he reveals. Across the desk, Loki raises his eyebrows, visibly stunned, "but after some careful consideration, I am thinking of promoting your superior instead," Eric continues, reaching into the top shelf of his desk and pulling out a familiar piece of paper. He slides it across the surface towards the scientist, before clasping his hands neatly. "If you can verify that what you said in this letter is true, the job is hers."

Loki picks up his letter of recommendation and scans over the glowing comments. Loki's stomach drops, his head going a mile a minute as he feels his dream job slipping away from him.

"Well…?" Eric speaks through Loki's crisis of conscience, "Is your recommendation regarding Ms. Vu's leadership abilities true?"

Loki looks down at the piece of paper once more, before locking eyes with his boss. "Yes," he states firmly, "This recommendation is 100% true."

"Great," Eric replies, taking the letter of recommendation back from him. Eric smiles, "Send her in, would you?"

Loki nods, steps out of Eric's office, and heads towards the second-floor workstation, which is lightly playing Alternative tunes. Loki approaches Crystal, who is busy working at her desk. He nudges her in the side.

"Santo wants to talk to you," he mutters, doing his best to hide the disappointment in his tone as his gaze drifts to the floor.

Crystal looks up from her paperwork and stares up at Loki, who looks as if he is on the verge of tears. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just had trouble sleeping last night because these birds wouldn't shut up in the tree next to my window," Loki quickly covers. "Anyway, you better hurry up, Eric made it sound pretty urgent."

Crystal nods, gets up out of her seat, and exits the room, leaving Loki alone. Loki stands in the center of the room in silence, doing his best to take a mental picture of his surroundings. This would be the last day he would work side-by-side with Crystal, and for some reason, this makes him really sad.

Loki sighs as he slowly wanders over to this desk. He pulls his leather desk chair out and takes a seat, easing a bit into his chair. Loki gazes around the room, a strange new feeling overcoming him: the feeling of vulnerability.

…

Twenty minutes later, the employees from all three departments are gathered around Dr. Santo's office awaiting his historic announcement. Loki slowly seeps into the crowd, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention. He passes by Circe, who is talking to a small group of their colleagues.

"Well, I heard Eric's going to promote Loki," Craig speaks up next to her, a cup of water in hand.

Circe throws her head back and gives an obnoxious laugh. "Please! No one would be stupid enough to put him in charge," she replies, locking eyes with her ex-boyfriend and flashing one of her signature smirks. Loki rolls his eyes and moves away from the crowd.

"Gather around, everyone!" Eric's voice rings in front of his office door, the young townie beaming next to him. All the employees stop what they are doing and grant Eric their full attention. "Now, as all of you know, I'm retiring at the end of this month, and over these past few weeks, I've been doing extensive research on all three candidates to determine who is the most worthy to take my place," Eric tells his employees, "A good boss is not only the one that is the most qualified for the job, but is also a person who is well respected by their employees and is known to always put the company's best interest at heart. A job like this is never easy, but I am confident that I have selected the best person to take my place and lead SimSanto to ever-changing heights, effective immediately," Eric continues, pausing a bit to look at the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce all of you to the new head of SimSanto Labs Incorporated…Miss Crystal Vu!" Eric exclaims, gesturing his arms over to her.

Crystal smiles as she steps forward, the room erupting into cheers from her new employees. From the back of the crowd, Loki is clapping for her as well, before leaning up against the wall, visibly defeated.

"Thank you, everyone," Crystal speaks once the applause as died down, "I am honored to be granted this prestigious position, and I hope that I can make this company even more successful than it already is!" Crystal declares, scanning over the crowd, "I know there's going to be a lot of changes happening this month in terms of management, but I know with your help we can keep this ball rolling," she states, "Obviously, since I've been promoted, the Science Department is going to need a new boss. Since this company is already overflowing with talent, I had no problem selecting the person who will take my place. This person is driven, innovative, and bold – three qualities that are essential for this position," she begins. Across the room, Loki shakes his head as he narrows in on Pascal.

"So it is my pleasure to announce to all of you, our new head of the Science Department… _Dr._ Loki Beaker!" she proclaims, pointing towards the wall.

"Of course it's Pascal!" Loki exclaims, throwing his arms up as he walks towards the front of the crowd. "Why not? He always gets everything he wants!" Loki exclaims, now realizing all eyes are on him. Loki turns around, noticing all his colleagues are flashing him puzzled looks. Loki turns to Crystal, suddenly understanding what was just said. "Wait, what?"

"I picked you, dingus," Crystal smirks, doing her best Loki impression, "Now are you going to take the position or not?" she wonders, crossing her arms.

Loki leans back a bit, trying his best to play it cool. "Yeah, I guess," he answers nonchalantly, "I mean, I don't have anything better to do."

"Splendid," Crystal replies, tilting her head slightly as the employees give him a merger round of applause.

Loki turns to Pascal, who is standing at the front of the pack. "Hah! In your face, Curious!" he shouts, pointing his finger in Pascal's face, "Two PhDs my ass!"

"Congratulations, Loki!" Pascal says cheeringly.

"-Don't try to make this about you!"

A few minutes later, the crowd has dispersed to begin their work, leaving Crystal and Loki alone at the front of Eric's office.

"So I gotta know: Why did you really choose me?" Loki speaks up, standing straight in triumph.

"Because you're the best person for the job," Crystal replies, "Plus, I did take it from you, remember?" she jokes, giving him a small smile. "Besides, I think it's finally time you get some recognition for your talents."

"Well," Loki beams, "I can't argue with the truth, but wow, the head of the Science Department?" he awes, "That's a big accomplishment. And I got it all by sleeping with the boss," he quips, playfully nudging her in the side, "My parents would be so proud!"

 _The Next Day_

Crystal and Loki are transporting boxes of Crystal's belongings into Dr. Santo's former office. Loki grunts as he rests the heavy box of contents onto the wooden surface, taking a moment to catch his breath before turning to her. "God, what's in these things? Rocks?" he groans.

"Nah, that's a pack of five thousand pencils," Crystal confesses, Loki raising his eyebrow in shock at this news, "I was in charge of all the office supplies," she shrugs, eyeing Loki's stunned facial expression, "Hey, you asked, I answered," she states, opening up one of the boxes and pulling out her stapler. "So, are you going to move to my old desk, or are you staying across the room?" she wonders.

"Eh, I think I'll just stay where I am," Loki answers, unpacking the box with her, "I don't really see the point in moving," Loki sighs as he unpacks the last item from the box. He looks to Crystal and nods, "Well, I guess that's it," he begins, awkwardly swinging his arms, "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Loki, we're on the same floor; it's not like I'm moving to Mars," Crystal assures him, "I can literally see your desk from here!" Crystal exclaims, gesturing towards it.

"Oh, yeah," Loki squeaks, suddenly feeling quite foolish.

Crystal walks forward and pulls him into a hug. "You'll be fine," she states endearingly, "Just don't let the power get to your head."

Loki smiles as he moves back, holding Crystal at arm's length. "But that's the best part!" he whines.

"I know, that's why I'm warning you," she smiles.

 _Later that Day_

Loki is standing in front of Crystal's office, holding onto a clipboard, having called his first company-wide meeting fifteen minutes beforehand. The scientists from all three departments are standing nearby, a few of them impatiently checking their watches. "Alright everyone," Loki finally begins, "As you all know, yours truly is now the head of the Science Department, which means there's going to be some major changes around here!" he informs them, "First, it's become painfully obvious that our Physics Department is the key moneymaker for this company, the Chemistry Department is still turning a profit, and the Biology Department is struggling. That's why I decided that I'm merging the Physics Department with the Biology Department, effective immediately, at least until the Biology Department turns things around."

"Wait, hold up. You're merging us with the Biology Department?" Craig voices from the front, "But they're so weird!"

"-Right behind you, Craig," Dean, the eldest biologist, chimes.

"I know where you are," Craig mutters, staring up at the ceiling, "And that doesn't make my statement any less true."

"Yeah," Pascal agrees next to him, "And the people in the Biology Department smell funny. – Especially Vid," he adds in point.

"Maybe so, but I strongly believe that this is what's best for the company," Loki states firmly, scanning over the list that is on his clipboard. "Now, we're placing everyone from both departments in alphabetical order by first name. Since we have an odd number of scientists, that means whoever's last on the list has to move to the second-floor lab and take the seat next to me. And that person is…" Loki stops and pretends to look over the list, "-Vidcund," Loki completes, flashing Vidcund his signature devious smirk.

Vidcund sighs and rolls his eyes. "Of course," he mumbles.

"After this meeting is over, we'll reorder everyone in both departments, which means the Chemistry Department is free to go," Loki concludes, turning to the small group of scientists. A few of them nod before the department retreats to the fourth floor. "I know this may sound a tad ridiculous, but trust me, this'll increase productivity by fifty percent," he assures the remaining departments. Loki looks down at his clipboard once again, noticing the sticky note that is placed in the corner. "Oh, and I'm also rehiring Cassandra, cause she was nuts," he adds, pushing the pen back into his clipboard. "Any questions?" Everyone minus Loki raises their hands. "Alright. Get back to work," he replies, deliberately ignoring them.

Some of Loki's former coworkers start to mumble complaints as they trickle out of the room. Loki narrows in on Circe, who is standing near the adjacent wall with Vidcund, running her hands up against his midsection, attempting to comfort him. "It's fine. I'll come visit you," Circe coos, pulling him into an alluring kiss.

"Hey!" Loki outbursts, storming over to them. The pair stop what they are doing and stare at Loki. "You can't kiss that thing on company property – get back to your own floor!"

Circe throws her head back and gives a cunning laugh. "Oh Loki, it's so pathetic how jealous you are of our love."

"Yeah, that's what it is," Loki states sarcastically as he rolls his eyes up at the ceiling, "Now get back to the third floor before I turn you in to H.R.," he warns, watching as Circe lets out a saucy huff before exiting the area. Loki turns to the side and looks at Vidcund, who is still standing awkwardly next to him. "Now, let me show you to your new seat," he chimes, leading him towards Crystal's old desk. Vidcund scans it over and nods.

"Okay," he states, seemingly giving his approval, "I'll just get my things from the fifth floor and move down here."

"No need, Dean already dropped them off outside my desk," Loki informs him, walking to the base of chair and grabbing the item in question. He hands the box to Vidcund, who appears rather shocked.

"Oh, okay. Great," Vidcund responds, though his tone doesn't sound like he means it. Loki watches as Vidcund starts unpacking his belongings. Loki's stomach drops when he notices Vidcund has a framed photo of him and Circe that is identical to the one that he saw on Circe's desk earlier.

Vidcund sighs as he finishes unpacking his belongings and takes a seat in his new leather desk chair. Vidcund sits up a bit as his phone briefly vibrates in his pocket. He takes it out and opens a message from Circe, Loki clearly viewing it behind him. Vidcund scans the message over, quickly types a response, and turns off his screen.

"Why are you dating her?" Loki comments as Vidcund sets his phone down on his desk, "She doesn't even like you!"

"Wow, that means a lot coming from her ex-boyfriend," Vidcund remarks, rolling his eyes.

Loki sighs and moves forward, positioning himself at the front of Vidcund's desk so they can converse more comfortably. "Vidcund, listen to me, okay? She's clearly using you just to get back at me!"

"Okay Loki, whatever you say," Vidcund states disbelievingly as he rearranges a few pencils on his desk, clearly having enough of this conversation.

"It's true. She tried to seduce me last week!"

"Why do you even care anyway?" Vidcund exclaims, throwing his hand down on the table. "It's none of your damn business! It's clear that you're only saying this to me because there's something in it for you! What? Do you still like her?" Vidcund questions, "Are you upset that she had the balls to dump you?" he questions further.

"Oh, Circe didn't dump me!" Loki fires back, "That's just a bunch of bullshit that she quickly spread around because she didn't want anyone to know that I canned her! I couldn't care less what she does as long as she doesn't try to screw over my career!"

"Then why don't you just leave us alone?" Vidcund wonders, the anger still bubbling up, "Why won't you just let us date in peace?"

Loki steps back, his body feeling somewhat paralyzed by this question, "Because, uh-" Loki swiftly turns away, his face growing hot as he can feel the confession slowly creeping up inside of him.

"-Because you like her," Vidcund completes, "Come on Loki, just admit it. It's written all over your face."

"Right," Loki huffs, feeling his anger returning, "because there can't be any other explanation as to why I don't like the two of you together!" he storms, turning around to face the plant biologist. "If I'm jealous, it _has_ to be because I like Circe!" he shouts, throwing his arms out in frustration, "God, Vid! How can you be so smart, yet so dumb?!" Loki cries.

"Wow, that's great. Thanks for insulting me," Vidcund sarcastically responds, "That really makes me want to believe you now. I'm sure you'll be singing the same tune once I catch you flirting with Circe," Vidcund replies, flipping over some papers on his desk.

"Vidcund, I don't like Circe," Loki states, releasing a frustrated sigh as he stares down at the floor. Loki can hear Vidcund muttering annoyances under his breath. Loki shakes his head, regains his composure, and gazes up at Vidcund, "I like you."

Vidcund instantly stops muttering and locks eyes with Loki, his face white in shock. " _What_?"

"I like you, okay?" Loki repeats, throwing his arms out in defeat, "And I don't know why it was taking you ten years to figure that out!" he yells, his body feeling weak and vulnerable. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to leave because I am very embarrassed," he confesses, directing his gaze to the ground. Loki walks across the room, Vidcund moving into action simultaneously, a look of pure shock still plastered on his face. Loki reaches for the doorknob, but Vidcund steps in front of him, blocking his path.

"Why are you blocking the door?" Loki calls out, attempting to move around him; too embarrassed to make eye contact with his employee. "Oh, I get it. You want me to stay here and embarrass myself as payback for all the times I embarrassed you over the years!"

Vidcund shakes his head, appearing perplexed. "No," he says.

"Well, then quit being an ass and move! I mean, we both know this-" Loki stops and gestures between the two of them, "-is never going to happen!"

Vidcund continues to gaze at Loki, a ponderous glint in his eyes. He shrugs his shoulders.

"Oh my gosh, that's your thinking face!" Loki exclaims, unable to believe what he is witnessing, "You're seriously considering this!" he awes.

"Yeah," Vidcund nods, "As a scientist you have to lay out all your options. I just never thought of this as a possibility, so I don't know how I feel about it yet," Vidcund reveals, "But, you know, now that I think about it, you having a crush on me does make a lot of sense. And I don't think you and I dating is out of the realm of possibility."

"It's not?" Loki squeaks, the tension in his body now morphing into pure joy, "Yes!" Loki cheers, putting his finger in front of Vidcund's mouth, shushing him before he speaks again, "Don't say anything more, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead!" Loki beams, racing out of the room at warp speed.

Behind him, Vidcund cocks his head in content. "Well, okay then."

…

Loki races into the hallway, the weight of his over-three-thousand-day secret seemingly lifting off his shoulders. Loki lets out a satisfied sigh, sporting the biggest smile of his life. Loki slows his pace slightly as he approaches Crystal's office door, eager to share the news. To his surprise, Crystal swings the door open before he can knock on it, sporting a rather large, happy smile of her own.

"I'll do it," she states cheerfully, "I'll marry you!" Crystal beams, throwing her arms around him.

Loki's body stiffens, visibly taken with shock as he feels the wind completely knocked out of him. "Oh," he speaks suddenly, his cheerfulness quickly deflating, " _Great,"_ he responds weakly as he holds back tears for the second time that week.


	12. Good Grief

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Twelve – Good Grief_

A man in his forties dressed in a dark gray suit stands on the roof of Strangetown's radio tower and looks out at the city beneath him. He gives a devious cackle and rubs his hands together, staring down at the occupied desert. "Ah, Strangetown," he states, narrowing in on the horizon, "What a meek and defenseless city! It will be easy for me, Doctor Dominic Newlow, to take it over," he says, placing his signature mind-control helmet on his head. He snickers, "After all, there's no one in this entire town who's eviler than me!"

 _Meanwhile: At the Beaker Residence_

Loki is lying flopped down across the living room couch, moaning, as he stares out miserably at the fireplace a week after returning from the hospital. Behind him, Vidcund is staring down at Loki from the foyer, a look of pure concern spread across his face. Pascal walks over from the kitchen and stands next to his brother.

"Vid, you've been standing here for two hours. Maybe you should just let Loki have some time to himself," Pascal advices, placing a hand on Vidcund's shoulder. Vidcund doesn't budge.

"I can't," he sighs, still gazing out at his lover, "I've never seen him so depressed before. I can't risk leaving him alone for a second; he might do something reckless again."

"He hasn't left the couch all day, I don't think you have anything to worry about," Pascal tells him before heading up the stairs. Pascal passes by Circe, who is walking down the staircase with a dazed look in her eyes. Vidcund races over to her.

"Circe, you gotta help me! I think something's wrong with Loki!" Vidcund pleads.

Circe continues to stare straight ahead, almost as if she is looking right through him and into the wall. She clenches her velvet purse tighter. "Can't. I have to go, Vidcourt," she answers monotone. Circe does a robotic turn and walks out the door.

Vidcund scrunches his forehead and cocks his head slightly. "Vid _court_?"

…

Fifteen minutes later, Pascal is in the basement, sitting on Nervous's bed. "So, what do you say? Will you go out with me or not?" Pascal asks, staring up at the test subject in wonder. He watches as Nervous frantically paces around the room, anxiously playing with his hands.

"Pascal, I don't know. I could get in a lot of trouble-"

"Relax," Pascal replies, waving his hand down as he stands up and walks over to him. Nervous stops pacing when he approaches. "I'll handle it. No one will ever find out."

"Hey Pascal!" Lazlo shouts, poking his head down into the basement, "What are you guys doing down there?"

"Oh, don't mind us! We're just planning out our secret relationship!" Pascal shouts up the stairs. Pascal turns to Nervous and gives him a wink, complete with two thumbs up. "-No one will ever find out," he repeats before releasing a loving sigh.

 _Later that Night_

Circe sighs as she returns from her excursion, tossing her purse down on the vintage dresser before hopping into the master bed with Loki. She smiles as she turns to Loki, who is looking out the window, detached. "You know dear, everything that happened this past week has really got me thinking," she begins, moving forward and wrapping her arms around him. She rests her head on Loki's stiff chest, "maybe we should have a baby before you kick the bucket."

"-No," Loki responds instantly, barely moving a muscle.

Hearing these words, Circe sits up slightly and narrows her eyes at him. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean I don't want kids!" Loki argues, a fire suddenly lighting up inside of him, "All they do is take up space and have mass!"

Circe tilts her forehead. "Now it sounds like you're describing matter," she comments.

"Either way, the answer's still no," Loki remarks, crossing his arms and turning back towards the window. "If you want a kid, marry someone else," Loki retorts, "Or better yet, just have it with one of your lovers, you've got like fifty!"

"That is not true!" Circe shouts, quickly getting up and shifting away from him. "And I don't have to sit here and listen to this nonsense! I am out of here!" she yells, grabbing her purse and storming out of the room. She slams the door shut, the sound echoing throughout the house.

Loki turns on his side, releasing a small sigh of relief as he sinks under the covers. Nearby, Vidcund wanders into the doorway, intrigued by Circe's immediate departure.

"Loki?" Vidcund whispers, slowly stepping into the room. "Loki, are you awake?"

"Erm," Loki mumbles.

Vidcund smiles as he reaches the bed. He picks up the covers and slips into Circe's side, carefully inching towards Loki. Vidcund stops a few inches away from him and dances his fingers across Loki's back. "You know, Circe isn't here," he begins, moving closer to his lover, "but I am," he completes, grabbing Loki from behind and cuddling up against him affectionately.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Loki mutters, still facing the window.

"Come on, let's do something. Let's mess around," Vidcund whispers vehemently, "I mean, how many opportunities are we going to have to do this while Circe is out of the house?"

"Circe," Loki groans, staring at the wall, "Who knows where she's been? She's been going out all week," he says suddenly.

Vidcund retracts his hand from Loki's back and stares down at him in concern. "You worried about her?" he wonders.

Loki looks down at the bedsheets and sighs. "Not particularly," he answers, clearly still depressed, "She's twenty-seven, she can do what she wants."

"Oh," Vidcund says, leaning forward against his back, "Well, whatever the reason, I'm just glad we're getting a chance to spend some time together." Vidcund leans forward and nuzzles his face into Loki's neck. Vidcund kisses him, leaving a gingerly trail from his neck to his face. Vidcund sighs lovingly, pulling Loki closer to him as he gazes out the window. "I love you, Loki," he speaks over the silence. Vidcund pauses for a few moments before looking down at his speechless lover.

Loki blinks once, a flummoxed look on his face. "That's great," he mutters dispassionately.

"That's great?" Vidcund dubiously repeats, pulling away from him slightly.

"Yeah," Loki confirms, deadpan, "Glad you got to tell me." Loki moves forward towards the edge of his bed, his own words striking him in the chest. His eyes start to water.

Five hours later, Vidcund wakes up alone on his stomach sprawled across the bed, his heart still aching from Loki's rejection. Suddenly, Vidcund perks up slightly, the sound of crinkling cellophane catching his attention. Vidcund slowly pulls himself out of Loki's bed and walks towards the source of the sound. He pushes open the bathroom door and turns on the light, only to find Loki crouched down on the floor, devouring a bag of cheap, store-bought cookies. Loki groans and squints his eyes at the light.

"Loki! What are you doing?" Vidcund cries, reaching down and snatching the flimsy bag from him. He points at its contents, "Why are you eating cookies? You said these weren't even good enough to wipe your ass with!"

"Yeah, I know," Loki responds, unable to look Vidcund in the eyes, as he wipes the excess crumbs off with his arm, "You don't need to brief me on my own life."

Vidcund sighs and crosses his arms. "I'm really worried about you, Loki. You've never acted like this before. First the telescope, then the lounging around the house, and now you're eating low-quality food – are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Loki snarls, getting up confidently from the floor. Loki moves towards the door, but Vidcund blocks his path and stands in front of the exit. Loki gives a heavy sigh. "You know, you're making it really hard for me to leave with you blocking the door," he states, folding his arms in frustration.

"I'll let you leave if you tell me one thing," Vidcund propositions, scanning him over.

"Alright, shoot."

"Who do you love more than anyone in the world?" Vidcund spews, tilts his head slightly.

Loki stares at Vidcund blankly, unsure of what to say.

After a few minutes of quiet, Vidcund shakes his head and finally gives in. "You're supposed to say yourself," Vidcund tells him.

"Oh. Sorry. _Me_ ," Loki weakly emphasizes, looking as though he is about to cry. Vidcund watches as Loki drags past him and moves towards the stairs, his eyes not leaving the floor.

…

The next morning, Vidcund walks down the stairs and into the living room, finding Pascal, Lazlo, and Nervous gathered there playing _Don't Wake the Llama_. Vidcund scrunches his forehead and turns to them. "What are you guys doing here with the test subject?" he wonders.

"Nervous is not a test subject, Vid, remember the tape recording?" Pascal chimes as he looks up at the ceiling. He carefully removes a plastic stick from underneath the llama. "Nervous is here cause Loki said no one can go in the basement. And I'm only respecting his wishes because I really wanted to play this game – damn it!" Pascal curses, pulling out yet another plastic stick, which causes the llama to fall. "Alright, that's twenty-five to sixteen. Lazlo, you're up!" Pascal states, turning to their youngest brother and nudging him in the side.

"Hmm?" Lazlo states, still glued to his handheld video game. "Not now, I'm playing the Game Boy version of this game!" he whines, "Whoever wins the most games plays Vidcund!"

"Deal!" Pascal agrees, setting up the game board for the fifty-second time.

Vidcund exits the room and creaks down the basement staircase. He stops at the base of the stairs and takes in the scene. Dozens of papers have been thrown on the ground as well as scrape pieces of metal and screws of various lengths and colors. Vidcund cautiously steps forward, stopping when he eyes Loki crouched down in the corner of the dimly lit basement, tightening a few bolts on what appears to be a rather humanlike invention.

"Loki?" Vidcund calls out suddenly, nervously playing with his hands as he approaches him. "What are you doing?"

"-Building clones," Loki states, still working intently on his project, his face covered with black smudges.

"Oh," Vidcund replies, staring down at the super-focused sim. "Look Loki, I'm not going to lie, I'm still really worried about you," he reminds him, "You've been distant from all of us, you haven't been to work in a few weeks, and you haven't called Pascal an idiot since last Thursday. You just seem so depressed. Did something happen?"

"No," Loki states firmly, pushing through the fatigue. "Anything else you want to annoy me with?" Loki grunts, tightening another bolt.

Vidcund plays with his hands and looks down slightly. He sighs.

"No, I'm good."

Three hours later, Loki steps out from the basement and enters the living room, where he is greeted by all five of his roommates, who are standing in a semi-circle facing him as he takes off his rubber gloves. "Oh God, what is this? Some kind of intervention?"

"Yes," Circe nods, standing near the fireplace next to Lazlo, who is still playing his video game. She clasps her hands together, "All of us are very concerned about your sudden change in behavior. Can you please tell us what's wrong?"

Loki clenches his fist, trying his best to keep the anger from bubbling up inside of him. "You guys want the truth? Fine. I'll tell you exactly what's wrong!" Loki barks before narrowing in on Circe. "You need to quit trying to force me to have children!" he shouts, then points to Vidcund. "You need to quit following me around the house!" Loki turns to Lazlo, "And you, for God's sake, take a bath! I can smell you from here!"

"-That was the idea," Lazlo quips, completely unfazed by his command.

Loki storms over to Nervous. "You need to get the hell out of here because you're supposed to be in the basement, and you-" Loki begins, narrowing his eyes at the eldest Curious brother before quickly waving away his thought. "-Forget it. I don't even know where to start!"

Everyone watches shocked and speechless as Loki exits into the basement, leaving several hurt individuals behind him. Across the room, Pascal is leaning up against the fireplace, deep in thought. " _That poor man,_ " Pascal mutters, shaking his head as he stares at the expensive carpet. He pushes himself off the structure as the remaining sims start whispering across the room.

Five minutes later, Loki is crouched down in the basement, fiddling with a torn up, discarded piece of paper he left behind, when he hears someone creep down the creaky staircase and enter the room. "You know, Vid, the whole idea behind me telling you guys off upstairs was so you would quit following me around and leave me alone."

"I see he got the message, cause he's not with me," Pascal remarks, giving a small smile as he approaches his greatest rival. Loki looks up slightly.

"What are you doing here, Pascal?" Loki mutters, turning towards the brick wall.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," Pascal answers, "I know losing a child can be rough, especially when you have to go through it alone."

Loki quickly turns around, unable to believe what he is hearing. "Wait, how did you find out about that?"

Pascal shrugs and steps forward. "I overheard you and Crystal at the hospital while I was trying to steal some rubber gloves from the next room. P.S. Mission accomplished!" Pascal beams, taking a few of the rubber gloves out from his pants pocket and showing them to Loki. He nods, trying his best to appear somewhat interested. Pascal places the gloves back in his pocket, sits down on the floor, and sighs. "Look Loki, this has never happened to me, so I can't even imagine what you and Crystal are going through, but I know if I ever lost my kid, I would be absolutely devastated."

Loki sighs and leans up against the wall, his mouth dry. "Good to know," he mutters.

"Hey, I know you don't like me," Pascal continues, "And it's debatable whether the feeling is mutual, but sometimes you just have to let yourself mourn. And you should mourn; this was sad! But I don't want you to feel like you have to do this alone," Pascal states, turning to the troubled scientist, "So tell me about her. Tell me about your daughter."

Loki gradually lifts his head up from the wall and exhales, staring out at the female humanoid, "Well, she would've been great I'm sure, smart and talented," he vents, "And I loved her with all my heart, which before she existed, I didn't even know I had one. I thought it was just for show."

"Yeah…" Pascal trails off, nodding in understanding.

"And it's weird because I never pictured myself having children," he confides in him, "but ever since I found out she existed, I couldn't picture my life without her."

Pascal nods. "You know Loki, I'm not here to tell you to get over this, or to give you an easy answer, because there isn't one," he states, "The best thing to do is to just give it time. I know things will never be the same again, but as time goes on the pain will lessen, and you'll grow stronger," Pascal assures him, "And slowly you will be able to get up and get back into your old routine. You'll still love your daughter and you'll carry the memory of her with you everywhere you go, but it won't hurt you to get out of bed anymore."

Loki gently nods, Pascal's words resonating in his brain as he looks over at his rival. "All week people have been trying to get me to move on from this and have been treating me like a burden, but after talking to you, I now realize you're the first person in this house who actually understands that I need to mourn and that what I'm feeling is valid," Loki pauses and gives him a small smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Pascal replies, in awe by the gratitude he is feeling.

"You know, Pascal, I think I'm finally starting to see why Vidcund likes you," Loki comments, turning back towards his invention.

"Really?" Pascal squeaks; Loki turns to him and nods, "And I'm starting to see why Vidcund likes you-" Pascal pauses and scans Loki over, pondering this slightly, "-Yeah, I'll be honest, I still don't see it."

Loki shakes his head and rolls his eyes, getting up from the floor to resume his work. "You're an idiot," he states.

"Hey! You called me an idiot!" Pascal notes, standing up from the floor and staring at Loki. He throws his hands up in celebration, the old Loki shining through in his rival. "YES!" he beams before breaking into a victory dance.

The basement door creaks open, causing both of the scientists to stop what they are doing and turn towards the source of the sound. Loki and Pascal watch as Vidcund steps down the stairs, a glazed look in his eyes as he heads towards him.

"Hey, it's Vid! We were just talking about you!" Pascal smiles, watching as Vidcund moves closer to them, completely emotionless.

Vidcund reaches past Loki and grabs a stack of patents from the nearby shelf before turning around robotically.

"Vidcund! What the hell?! Those are for the Electric Vomit Recycler!" Loki outbursts, chasing after Vidcund as he races up the stairs; Pascal trails after them.

Loki stops in the foyer, the rubber soles from his shoes squeaking against the linoleum. He turns to the right only to find Vidcund and Circe walking out the grand entrance with mesmerized looks on their faces. "Circe, where are you going?" Loki calls out after her, "If you're going out to cheat on me, they better be Ajay quality or higher!"

Vidcund and Circe are halfway down the front stairs when Pascal arrives next to Loki. Loki turns to him, somewhat panicked. "Come on, we gotta see what they're up to!"

Pascal nods. "Right."

A few minutes later, Loki and Pascal find themselves at the base of Strangetown's radio tower. They watch with intrigued wonder as Circe and Vidcund enter a camouflaged door on the side of the building.

"Geesh! I don't like the look of this place. Maybe we should go," Pascal suggests, stepping back a bit.

Loki shakes his head, his fists clenched at his sides, "No. No one steals from Loki Beaker and gets away with it!" he declares, storming over to the side of the building and pushing open the door.

Loki and Pascal enter the room, immediately greeted by darkness. Suddenly, the lights flash on, temporarily blinding the two young physicists in the process.

"Why, if it isn't the two smartest sims in the city," a voice rings out above them. Loki groans as he slowly regains his vision, blinking a few times before gazing up at the dark-haired, formally-dressed man that is situated on a gold-encrusted, platformed evil throne across the room. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that you two were the first ones to grow wise to my evil plan," he coos.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in _my_ town?!" Loki snarls, glaring at the foe.

The man throws his head back and laughs. "I, my dear young lad, am Doctor Dominic Newlow, evil genius," he introduces, "and this is _my_ city! I took it over this morning," he brags, turning to the hypnotized Circe and taking the drink she is holding out to him. "Thank you, sweetheart," he remarks before reaching down and grabbing the stack of papers that an equally hypnotized Vidcund is holding out to him, "And thank you, love," he charms, holding the patents up to his chest, "Isn't it great when you can control people's minds?"

Loki clenches his fists together, feeling smoke coming out of his ears. "That's it!" Loki fumes, "You can take my wife and my secret lover, but nobody – and I mean _nobody_ – steals my patents for the Electric Vomit Recycler!"

"Is that so?" Doctor Dominion smirks, standing up from his seat, "Well, I have a feeling you'll be changing your tune once you get a taste of my special invention." Doctor Dominion snaps his fingers a few times and gestures his guards over to Loki. They race over and grab Loki by the arms, one of them straps the mind-control helmet on his head.

"Hey! What the hell-?" Loki calls out as Doctor Dominion gives yet another maniacal cackle. "Pascal, help me!" Loki cries, turning towards the Curious brother, who is busy putting a dollar into the candy machine across the room. Loki rolls his eyes. "Of course!"

"Well Loki," Doctor Dominion begins, stopping in front of the struggling scientist, "Any last words before I completely stupefy your brain and make you one of my mindless slaves?"

Loki sighs and looks firmly up at the villain, his expression fearless and cold. "Yes. Nobody out-evils Loki Beaker!" he shouts. Doctor Dominion reaches forward and turns on the helmet, the light bulb sticking out of the top starts to burn in intensity.

"Oh, you think you're so smart Doctor Gray Pants!" Loki rages, "If you're so smart, then how come you have to steal other people's inventions?!" he counters, moving towards him. "You're probably not even a real doctor!"

"What the-? Why isn't the helmet working?!" Doctor Dominion distresses, frantically pressing down on a few of the buttons as Loki continues to rant and rave next to him.

"It took me three years to invent the Electric Vomit Recycler, five years to commit to Circe, and ten years to get Vidcund to go out with me, and you think you can just take it all away just like that?!" Loki screams, "Hah! You've got another thing coming, buddy!"

Doctor Dominion watches in horror as the helmet breaks down before his very eyes, the top smoking as the sides break off in agonizing sparks, releasing all of victims' brains from its control. The lightbulb shuts off as the helmet falls to the floor, the top of the strap destroyed by one of the sparks. In a matter of seconds, the entire police department has shown up and is gestured over to the villain by none other than Pascal Curious, who is finishing up the rest of his candy bar. The police officers storm over and handcuff Doctor Dominion.

"I don't get it," Doctor Dominion awes as the handcuffs are strapped on his wrists, "It's never failed before! It's set to control everyone that has empathy!"

"And I have none," Loki smirks, crossing his arms in triumph, "I'm strong-willed, difficult, and all about me, just like a _real_ villain." Loki throws his head back, giving an evil laugh as Doctor Dominion is helplessly escorted out of the radio tower. Loki stops and looks down at Vidcund, who is rubbing his aching forehead on the floor. Loki kneels in front of him.

"Vidcund?" Loki states sweetly.

Vidcund moans and opens his eyes. "Yeah?"

"Get up, you're lying on the patents!" Loki commands, moving Vidcund slightly and taking the patents out from underneath him. Loki scans them over, smiling to himself as he does so. "Ah yes, genius!" he beams, hugging the patents to his chest.

Loki strolls over to the doorway, passing by Pascal, who is helping Circe get up off the ground. "Don't touch my wife!" Loki snarls, "And nobody better mention this to anyone, cause I don't want a damn parade!" he states, his usual irritated state returning. Loki sighs and turns his attention back to Vidcund, his tone surprisingly pleasant, "Well, I'll see you at home," he states, finishing his grand exit.

Circe, Vidcund, and Pascal stand in dumbfounded silence for a moment before Pascal springs up in place. "He's _baaaack_!" he cheers, overjoyed. Behind him, Circe and Vidcund exchange strange glances with each other, unsure of whether or not this is a good thing.


	13. First Date

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Thirteen – First Date_

The sun gleams through the window on a Wednesday morning, peeking through the blinds at Loki's workstation as the outspoken scientist remains hard at work on his latest invention. Loki sighs as he screws the final bolt into his small, handheld device and sets the screwdriver on his desk. He turns the rectangular invention in his hand, carefully scanning it over. "Eh," he shrugs, his voice echoing slightly in the empty room, "It's not the next BioTech Station, but it'll do."

Loki perks up in his seat when he notices Vidcund step into the workstation, briefly staring down at some paperwork. Seeing Loki, Vidcund stops in his tracks, drops his papers, and races out of the room. Loki gets up from his seat and sighs as he stares down at the place where Vidcund once stood. Unfortunately, this behavior isn't a surprise to the physicist and has quickly become the new norm ever since Loki had confessed his feelings for Vidcund a few days ago.

" _Well, there's no use fighting it now. He's clearly not interested,"_ Loki thinks somberly, _"And if Vidcund doesn't want me, I guess it's finally time I go all in on a relationship before he tells Circe what happened and this whole thing blows up in my face."_

…

Crystal is walking up the stairs towards her office, waving to Pascal as she whistles a happy tune. Crystal arrives at the door to her office. She reaches into her lavender purse and starts scrounging around in its pockets for her keychain. "Damn it! Where did I put that thing?" she moans, peering into its contents as she hears footsteps trudging towards her.

"Look out!" Loki cries, a panicked expression on his face. Loki races forward and tackles Crystal to the ground, the pair sliding across the room and knocking into the adjacent wall as an explosion sounds from the next room. Crystal blanches as she sees pieces of burnt debris fly into the hallway before finding a new home on the floor.

Loki slowly stands up, still hanging onto Crystal's arm as he steps towards the workstation, taking the young woman with him. The pair walk a few paces into the room, watching as the smoke clears around them. Crystal coughs into her arm a couple of times, waving her hand in front of her face as the smoke dances out the window. In a few seconds, most of the smoke has cleared, revealing the words: "Crystal, will you go out with me?" in big, black letters on the remaining piece of the wall.

Crystal immediately turns to Loki, the scientist flashing his signature smirk. "Seriously?!" Crystal shouts aghast, unable to believe what she is seeing, "You blew half the room up just to ask me out?"

"Well it worked, didn't it?" Loki states smugly.

"Damn it, yes!" Crystal groans, shaking her head and mumbling to herself a bit as she walks over to the source of the destruction. "Unbelievable. Why did I think it was a good idea to promote him?"

Crystal crouches down, eyeing the floor damages. "You know, the building inspector is going to make me fire someone when they see this."

"Taken care of, my dear," Loki remarks, taking the small, rectangular device out of his pocket and pressing the large red button on it for the second time that day. A mini explosion sounds a few feet away as two additional words are added to the message: "Love, Craig". Crystal stands up from the floor and joins Loki, who is staring up at his doing admiringly.

"Huh," Crystal begins, narrowing her eyes at the fresh text. "Well, I never liked him anyway," she states. Crystal's eyes widen as another large piece of the wall topples over, barely missing their bodies. "Uh, we should probably get out of here."

Loki nods and wraps his arm around her, guiding Crystal to her office. "So, where do you want to go on our date?"

…

Two days later, Loki and Crystal are standing in line at the fanciest restaurant in Downtown, _Londoste_. Crystal sighs in awe as she looks up at the beautiful, sparkling water fountain on the wall. "Loki, you didn't have to take me here," Crystal speaks up, turning towards her nicely-dressed date, "I know this place is super expensive."

"Nonsense!" Loki remarks, casually brushing away the thought, "Nothing's too good for you, except me of course," he quips; Crystal stares up at the ceiling next to him, "Besides, this place is top of the line, so we won't run into anyone we know here."

"Uh…?" Crystal begins, tapping Loki on the shoulder. She points to the front of the line, where Vidcund and Circe are conversing with the hostess.

"Psh! Thanks a lot, universe. Stab another nail in the coffin, why don't ya?" Loki rolls his eyes, his gaze stopping on Crystal, who has positioned herself behind one of the potted plants. Loki raises an eyebrow. "Oh no. Don't tell me you're into plant crap, too. It's bad enough Vidcund likes it!"

"I'm not into plants," Crystal replies, pulling Loki towards her, "I just don't want Circe to see me out with you. If she finds out we're dating, I'm in big trouble."

Loki tilts his forehead, clearly confused. "What are you talking about-?"

"Mr. Beaker, your table is ready," another hostess states behind them, leading the pair across the room. Crystal quickly grabs a menu on her way to the table and hides behind it as they pass Circe and Vidcund.

Crystal sighs she as sinks into the white-padded chair at the corner of the restaurant. She positions the floral centerpiece in front of her as the waiter introduces himself and hands them the menus.

"If there's anything else I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask," the waiter states, giving an elegant bow.

"Can you dim the lights fifty percent?" Crystal requests, giving a small gasp and ducking behind the centerpiece as Vidcund and Circe are seated at the table across the room.

The waiter brings his hands together over his apron and sadly shakes his head. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but we're not allowed to do that. It would be a safety hazard."

"Hey!" Loki outbursts, slamming his fist down on the table, "You heard the lady, dim the lights!"

"But sir-"

"Loki," Crystal speaks up, delicately placing her hand on top of his fist and giving it a squeeze, "You don't need to cause a scene."

"Fine. I'll dim the lights!" the waiter says, taking the two-hundred-simoleon bribe Loki is holding out for him. The waiter stuffs the money into his pocket and starts murmuring to himself as he enters the backroom. Two seconds later, the lights in the restaurant dim.

Loki scans over the menu briefly before tapping his fingers against the tabletop. "So…" he begins, staring across the table at his date, "You look great."

"Thanks," Crystal smiles, pulling her menu down a tad, revealing the top of her purple, sleeveless dress. "I would say you do too, but I know it would go to your head."

"Well obviously," Loki smirks, completely unaware of the two waiters crashing into each other behind him. "So, are you enjoying the date so far?"

Crystal sets down her menu and stares up at the ceiling, bringing her hand up to her chin as she pretends to think this over. "Hmm…let's see. Well, it's definitely been entertaining. But half the reason why I came here was for the entertainment purposes."

"And the other half?" Loki wonders.

"-Interest."

"In me?"

Crystal playfully shrugs. "Sure," she states before taking another look at the menu.

Loki leans back in his seat, seemingly satisfied. "I knew it," he smiles.

Crystal squeaks and hides behind her menu as Circe gets up from her seat. The female scientist walks further away from them and steps into the bathroom, causing Crystal to set her menu back down on the tabletop and heave a sigh of relief.

Loki leans forward, gazing at Crystal ponderously. "So, tell me again why Circe can't know we're dating?"

"Because she wants me to get the two of you back together," Crystal reveals, letting out yet another small sigh as she confides in him, "And if she finds out you and I have a thing, all hell will break loose."

Loki scrunches his forehead. "But she's going to know we're together anyway once we get married," he reminds her.

"Yeah…I didn't really think that far ahead," Crystal states with a nod as a waiter trips and falls to the floor. Crystal turns to the side, eyeing the sim that is sprawled out on the carpet, "Maybe we shouldn't have told them to dim the lights," she comments as their waiter walks up to take their order.

Thirty minutes later, Loki and Crystal are eating their meals, the restaurant lighting back to its original setting. Crystal watches as Loki stares off behind her, eyeing the table in the distance where Vidcund and Circe are conversing with one another.

"You still like him, don't you?" Crystal asks, setting her fork down.

Hearing this, Loki shakes his head and picks at his food. "What? No, of course not," he answers, staring down at his potato.

"Come on Loki, you don't have to lie to me," Crystal speaks up, lowering her voice to a whisper, "I already know you do."

Loki sighs and rolls his eyes, unable to believe the ridiculousness of her claim. "Crystal, if I still liked him, then why would I go on a date with you?" he questions, "I'm all in on you and me, okay? Now that we're getting married, I'm done with him."

"If you say so," Crystal shrugs, still unsure.

"Look, I don't know why you think I still like Vidcund, but I really like you, okay?" Loki tells her, "Would I waste money on someone I'm not interested in?"

"Well, you gave Pascal twenty simoleons to shut up yesterday, so either you're interested in him too, or I'm not sure what to believe," Crystal counters, stabbing into her steak.

"Okay, so I do occasionally throw money at problems to make them go away," Loki agrees, "but that's not the point! The point is I'm over him and I'm super into you, so hurry up and finish that steak so I can prove it," Loki remarks. Crystal laughs and rolls her eyes.

 _Later that Night_

Loki and Crystal are walking down the dimly-lit Road to Nowhere towards Crystal's house at the edge of the block. "You know, as weird as that date was, I thought it could've gone way worse," Loki speaks into the silence, glancing over at Crystal as she approaches her front porch.

Crystal smiles and shakes her head playfully as she pulls out her keys. "Good to know," she states, stopping when she sees Loki join her on the narrow, wooden porch. He flashes her a toothy grin.

"So, we bangin' or what?"

"Does subtlety not run in your family, or do you just choose not to use it?" Crystal wonders, a hint of irritation lacing her tone.

"Life's too short to be subtle," Loki replies, "If everyone was subtle all the time, then no one would ever get what they want," he elaborates, moving towards her. "So, are we doing this or not?"

"Yeah, uh…just let me change first," Crystal says, turning towards the door. She unlocks the hatch and opens the door slightly before turning back around and blocking it protectively. "Uh, you stay here. I'll just be a minute."

Loki tilts his forehead and steps towards her. "Why?" he says, attempting to get around her, "I can just spend the night here."

"No, you don't want to do that. Trust me," Crystal quickly responds, inching her way through the barely-open doorway.

"Crystal, come on, you're being ridiculous. Just let me come in with you! What, are you hiding a body or something?" Loki exclaims, pushing open the door to her place. Loki looks around, eyeing the leaky and rundown interior. "Ah, that explains it," he states, stepping into the room.

Crystal sighs as she carefully steps over to him from the kitchen. "So, you've seen my place," she begins, awkwardly playing with her hands, "Pretty great, huh?"

Loki nods as he continues to glance down at the living room, which is small, crammed, and cluttered with broken objects. "Yeah, wow…" he states, gazing up at the ceiling, which is composed of a bunch of leaky, rusted pipes, as he tries to conceal his repulse. "This is really… _rustic_."

"I know it's disgusting," Crystal apologetically tells him, "You don't have to sugarcoat it for me."

"That's good," Loki says, stepping in further, "cause that compliment almost gave me a rash." Loki scratches his arms.

"Well, I'll just get my stuff and we'll go," Crystal suggests, pointing back at her bedroom.

Loki looks up at the ceiling once more, now noticing the mold that is forming in the cracks. "Crystal, this is disgusting and unsafe. I don't want you living here anymore."

"What?" Crystal calls from the other room.

"I said I don't want you living here anymore!" Loki shouts, lowering his voice when Crystal steps into the room, carrying a pile of her clothes, "Pack up your stuff, you're moving in with me."

"Loki, it's fine," Crystal attempts to soothe him as she sets her clothes down on the kitchen table. "Really, I'm good here."

"No, it's not fine. And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you live in this mess?" Loki questions, stepping to the side to avoid yet another droplet of water from hitting his face. "Please Crystal, move in with me. It would give me peace of mind," Loki confesses, "Besides, my mother passed away a while back, so I've been kinda lonely."

Crystal scrunches her forehead, her hand still perched on top of her clothes pile. "Wait, I thought you just saw your mother a few weeks ago?"

Loki shakes his head. "No, my mother actually passed away last year," he confides, "I just told Circe that I took her to the doctor's earlier to get her off my back."

"Aww, I'm sorry," Crystal states genuinely, "But don't you think it's a little soon for me to move in with you? I mean, we're still on our fake first date!"

"Crystal, you're going to be living with me when we get married anyway, so you may as well get used to it now," Loki compellingly argues, holding a welcoming hand out towards her. Crystal gazes down at it briefly before looking back up at Loki with a smile. "Come on, pack up your stuff and let's get out of here. This place is a death trap!" he quips.

…

"Welcome back to your new home, the Convivial Fortress, a.k.a. La Casa de Beaker!" Loki exclaims, overenthusiastically throwing his arms out as he and Crystal step into the grand foyer.

"Please, don't talk like that," Crystal groans, setting her packed suitcases on the linoleum, "And this is convivial?" she asks, pointing to the "Keep Out" sign that is plastered across the still-open front door.

Loki shrugs his shoulders. "Eh, it is to me. Now let me show you to your room," Loki declares, leading Crystal up the staircase and into the main hallway. The pair walk past the upstairs living room and arrive at a set of closed double doors at the end of the hall. Loki pushes open the doors and rests his hand on the mahogany doorframe. "Well, here it is," he states, presenting the room to her.

Crystal takes one step into the room and looks around, eyeing the quality, antique furniture and décor that is lining every corner of it. "Loki, this is very sweet, but honestly, I feel like this room is too good for me," Crystal informs him, her eyes landing on the gold-encrusted bed frame.

"No, it's not. Trust me, mine's better," Loki casually replies, waving off the thought, "Well, I'll see you around," Loki adds, disappearing down the hall before Crystal can react.

Crystal stands in place, still taken by the new room. She stands in silence for a few moments before plopping down on the elegant double bed. Crystal gazes around the room, feeling more and more overwhelmed with each décor piece she views. Finally, Crystal shakes her head and redirects her attention to the task at hand. She pulls out her suitcase and starts unpacking her clothes.

Fifteen minutes later, Crystal is wandering the hallway dressed in her sleepwear: a short, purple nightgown. Crystal carefully walks through the deserted hallway, stopping once she reaches the upstairs living area. The living room is so clean, it looks completely unlived in. Crystal grabs onto her arms, a shiver running up her spine.

Suddenly, Crystal knows exactly how Loki felt when his mom passed away; she realizes how lonely this house really is.

Crystal perks up immediately when she hears a noise coming from the other bedroom suite. She treks back into the hallway, finding the sound of life drawing her forward. She stops at the double doors and leans forward, noticing the bedroom is open a crack. Crystal knocks softly on one of the doors before stepping in slightly. "Loki?" she squeaks, nudging the door open a tad.

"Yeah?" Loki replies, his eyes glued to the flat-screen television that is mounted on the wall across from his bed. Loki is sitting on his black comforter, a plate of caviar in his hands.

Crystal smiles as she steps towards him. "Caviar in bed?" she smirks.

"I have very sophisticated taste," Loki retorts, spooning some more of the black fish eggs into his mouth, "You want some?" he offers between chews.

Crystal quickly laughs and shakes her head. "No, I'm good," she replies, nonchalantly easing her way into bed next to him.

Loki watches as Crystal gets under the covers, curiously setting down his plate on his lap. "Oh, I get it. You want to sleep with me," he concludes, moving the nearly-empty plate to his nightstand next to his cell phone, "Alright. I'll just take this plate to the kitchen and then I'll brush my teeth-"

"Loki!" Crystal cries, smiling as she grabs him by the forearm and pulls him back into bed, a rosy blush forming on her cheeks.

"What? So, you don't want me to brush my teeth?" he wonders as Crystal gently pulls him into a passionate kiss. He pulls away and gazes down at her, holding the young townie at arms-length. "Huh. I guess not," he states, moaning as Crystal brings him in for another kiss.

All of a sudden, Loki's phone starts vibrating on the nightstand. Loki looks to the side slightly while Crystal continues making out with him, his eyes widening as Vidcund's name appears on the screen. Loki gently grabs Crystal by the shoulders and pulls her back, panting lightly. "Hang on, I gotta take this," Loki states, leaning towards his phone. He grabs the cell phone, eyes the time onscreen, flips it open, and holds it up to his ear. "Two a.m., this better be important," he answers, giving his eyes a roll.

"It is. Something's wrong with the generator!" Vidcund cries from the other end, "Pascal and I were working overtime, and it went berserk on me!"

" _Overtime?"_ Loki thinks to himself, a smirk spreading on his face, _"His date with Circe must not have gone well."_

"Hello? Loki? Can you hear me?" Vidcund shouts into the phone, "This thing could blow any minute, you've got to get down here!"

"It can?!" Pascal's voice rings out from behind his brother, "Oh God, we're going to die, and I still haven't opened my nucleus-themed restaurant!"

Loki rolls his eyes once more at the absurdity of this supposed crisis. "Right," he sighs, "And why exactly is this my problem?" he asks.

"Well, aren't you the head of the Science Department?" Vidcund reminds him.

"Damn it!" Loki curses, clutching his phone tighter, "Alright, fine. I'll be there in a minute. But whatever you do, don't let Pascal near that thing," Loki commands, sitting up against the bedframe, "He'll kill us all," he adds.

Loki hangs up his phone and gets up from his bed. He grabs his wallet and heads toward the door, stopping when he feels Crystal staring at him. Loki turns around, locking eyes with the concerned woman, who is halfway towards the exit. "I have to go with you. It's my company," Crystal states, her eyes shining from the light of the television.

"No, you stay here," Loki says, reassuringly placing his hands on her shoulders, "SimSanto's doomed if it loses both of us." Crystal nods, doing her best to stay strong as Loki grabs his badge and heads out the door.

Crystal sighs as she hears the door slam, finding herself alone in this spacious house. "God, I'm so lonely," she speaks into the silence, nervously holding her arms, "I hope he comes back."

…

Later that night, Loki creeps back into the dark master bedroom, doing his best to remain quiet for his slumbering girlfriend. "Crystal?" Loki whispers, getting into bed and spooning her from behind. "Crystal?" he says once more, embracing her tighter.

"Hm?" Crystal slowly opens her eyes, the small disturbance causing her to wake, "Everything okay?" she recalls, staring at him slightly.

"Yeah," Loki nods, "Turns out the generator was only in crisis mode cause someone put a Cheeto in it," he explains, nudging his head against her own. "I hope it didn't ruin tonight. Either way, I'll make it up to you," he promises, kissing her on the cheek.

"Mmm," Crystal says lovingly, delicately closing her eyes at the touch of his lips. "Make it up to me now."

Loki nods, giving a small grin. "Alright."

…

An hour later, Loki and Crystal are spooning in the center of the elegant master bed in their underwear, post-Woohoo, the covers pulled over their bodies.

"So, do you like living here?" Loki wonders, holding onto his girlfriend. He gazes down at Crystal, who is staring straight-ahead at a painting on the wall.

"Yeah, it's fine," Crystal lies, sinking deeper into the covers. "Stupendous, actually. Really spacious," she continues, mentally kicking herself with each additional compliment.

"That's great, because I like having you here," Loki speaks into the near-darkness, staring out the window at the moon, the only source of light. Loki stares at the celestial body for a few moments before gazing down at Crystal, who is lying peacefully on his bed.

"I love you," Loki states, those three words leaving his mouth for the first time in his life. Loki looks down, awaiting Crystal's response, but the townie doesn't move. "Crystal?" Loki says, turning her over slightly, but Crystal is fast asleep. Seeing this, Loki sighs loving and moves her in towards him before drifting off to sleep.

Mere seconds later, Crystal opens her eyes. The words of Loki's confession of love haunting her like the dozens of ghosts haunting Olive in her garden. _"It's time to face the facts, Crystal,"_ she tells herself, as guilt fills up inside of her, _"You're in too deep."_


	14. Prom Night

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Fourteen – Prom Night_

"Ah…the African violet: the stunning tropical plant, the inhabitant of the cloud forests, and the reason why our kitchen smells so beautiful!" a teenaged Vidcund raves, leaning his nose into the potted plant in the center of the Curious' kitchen table and taking a gentle whiff. "Oh, how I wish I could live in your soil."

" _Ding-dong!"_ the doorbell chimes throughout the Curious residence, causing Vidcund to glance up stunned as he hears footsteps walk towards the front door.

"Vidcund! Your girlfriend is here!" Glarn calls out.

Hearing this, Vidcund bolts out of his seat and races down the hallway. He passes by Pascal, who is walking in the opposite direction, scanning over his Physics 360 notes. Vidcund runs so quickly past him that the wind causes a few of Pascal's college course papers to fall to the floor. Pascal groans and kneels on the shaggy, green carpet to retrieve them.

"Unbelievable," Pascal mutters as he grabs onto the papers. He stands up in place, Vidcund and Lazlo's open bedroom straight in his field of vision. Pascal tilts his forehead when he notices Vidcund hop over Lazlo, who is busying playing his Game Boy on the edge of Vidcund's bed, and hide under the covers.

"Hey Vidcund," Pascal begins, cautiously stepping into his brothers' bedroom, "everything okay?"

"Yeah," Vidcund's muffled voice rings out from underneath the covers, "that's why I'm hiding."

Pascal stares down at the Vidcund-shaped lump and shakes his head. "Good to know."

"Vidcund!" Glarn yells once more, his tone a tad angrier, "Circe is at the front door! Are you coming or not?"

Vidcund moans, pulls the celestial patterned comforter off himself, and sticks his head into the hallway. "I don't want to see Circe!" he shouts, "I think I'm sick!"

"You're sick?" Pascal repeats, taking a step away from him as Vidcund slams the door.

"Yeah, sick of her," Vidcund sighs, flopping back down on his mattress. "She's driving me nuts! It seems like everything I do ticks her off!" he animatedly states to the ceiling, "Life was so much simpler when I didn't have a girlfriend."

"Then dump her," Pascal suggests, leaning against the doorframe.

"What are you, crazy?!" Vidcund exclaims, sitting up in his bed to look at him, "She doesn't take anything lightly. Remember when she set Mr. Landry's car on fire when he gave her an A- on her Sociology report? If I break up with her, she'll probably kill me!"

Pascal strokes his chin as he stares up at the ceiling. "Yeah, she is a crafty one," he notes.

Vidcund sighs as he stares down at the carpet. "I just thought our relationship would get better after Mom died, but I guess I was wrong."

Pascal nods, the atmosphere in the room shifting to sorrow. Pascal sits down next to his somber brother. "Relax Vid, I'll help you break up with Circe."

"Really?" Vidcund states, gazing up slightly.

"Sure!" Pascal smiles, patting him on the shoulder, "I'm great at getting people to avoid me! Remember our old dentist? I hear he's treating patients in Veronaville now," he beams, "But if I'm going to help you, you have to promise me that you'll follow my directions to a tee, or else the whole plan will go under. Can you do that?"

"Uh…I think so."

"Perfect!" Pascal exclaims, pulling a befuddled Vidcund into an awkward side hug and giving him a tight squeeze, "Then let Operation: Break Up begin!"

…

Fifteen minutes later, the Curious brothers are situated in the small living area in their basement. Vidcund is sitting on the beat-up, old floral couch with Lazlo sitting a few feet down, tapping away on his Game Boy. Pascal is standing in front of the pair, staring down at Vidcund.

"Alright, now in order for this break up to go smoothly, we're going to have to get Circe to break up with you and not the other way around," Pascal begins, pacing by the couch.

"That sounds good, but how are we going to do that?" Vidcund wonders.

"Easy! We're going to push her into doing so, by turning you into the biggest jerk this town has ever seen!" Pascal exclaims, excitement filling his voice, "By the time you're done with Dr. Pascal's Jerkifying Academy, no girl will touch you," he explains, "Now, let's get started."

Pascal reaches into his back pocket and takes out a pen. He holds it out in front of him.

"Take it," Pascal commands.

Vidcund scrunches his eyebrows. "But I don't want it."

"It doesn't matter if you want it or not. A jerky person takes things to assert their dominance regardless of their own desires." Pascal briefly scans the area before reaching down and snatching Lazlo's Game Boy from him.

"Hey!" Lazlo cries. He lunges forward and tackles Pascal to the ground. The pair tussles for a bit before Lazlo yanks the Game Boy out of Pascal's grasp and resumes his place on the couch.

Pascal groans and rolls onto his stomach, clearly disheveled. "Great job, Lazlo!" Pascal states between heavy breaths. Pascal turns to Vidcund, "See? That's how it's done!"

"Right. And does a jerky person also get beaten up by their little brother?" Vidcund smirks, his arms folded.

"Sometimes," Pascal replies, still hanging onto his stomach in pain. He flops over on his back, "God, that kid can really pack a punch!" he states to the ceiling. "But did you at least find this exercise helpful?"

"Oh yeah," Vidcund responds, "I am especially glad you were able to exploit our little brother to demonstrate this questionable technique."

Pascal sighs and sits up on the carpet. "Geez, tough crowd."

…

Three hours later, Pascal and Vidcund are standing in front of the Salami residence, Pascal placing a reassuring hand on his trembling brother's shoulder. "Okay Vid, we practiced this all morning. I think you're more than ready to face Circe."

"Pascal, I don't know, what if I don't have it in me?" Vidcund panics, shaking Pascal by the shoulders, "What if I can't be a jerk for long enough?" Pascal slaps Vidcund across the face. "OW!" Vidcund shoots Pascal a death glare; Pascal smiles.

"You'll do fine."

Vidcund nods uneasily and walks up the stairs to the front porch. He stops a foot from the door, then turns back to glance at Pascal, who flashes him a thumbs up. Vidcund stiffly turns back to the doorway and sighs. He rings the doorbell.

Grainne, Circe's mother, swings open the door. Her face lights up when she sees him. "Vidcund, it's nice to see you again!" Grainne beams, her blonde hair shining in the sun, "Circe is in her room," she adds, stepping to the side to unblock the doorway.

"Great. Thanks," Vidcund replies, doing his best to sound excited. Vidcund rounds the stairs and heads to Circe's room in the back corner of the townhouse. He stops at Circe's closed bedroom door, which has a biohazard sign taped on the center of it. Vidcund sighs, his body shaking as he reaches towards the doorknob. Finding his inner strength, Vidcund grips the doorknob and bursts into the room. A startled Circe jumps up from her desk and steps back, holding her hand up to her chest.

"Vidcund! What the hell is wrong with you?! Don't you knock anymore?"

"No," Vidcund fires, giving her a firm glare, "knocking is for spineless wimps!" he shouts, scanning Circe over, who is clearly taken aback, "If I see a closed door, I just barge right through. The rules don't apply to me!"

"Ookay," Circe says, stepping away from him slightly, "Vidcund, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm excellent. Never been better in my life!" Vidcund screams, the volume of his voice causing a few birds perched on the outside windowsill to fly away. "Face it, Circe, I'm a man who takes what he wants, when he wants," Vidcund begins, pacing towards her, "What do you think of that?" he asks, stopping in front of his girlfriend and narrowing his eyes at her.

Circe grins, "I love it!"

"You _do_?!" Vidcund squeaks, a look of pure horror forming on his face.

"Yes!" Circe replies, her grin getting bigger by the second, "Honestly, you were acting so wussy before, I was going to dump you. But now that I've seen this new take-charge side of you, I don't want to!" she proclaims, wrapping her arms around Vidcund. She pulls him towards her and starts planting kisses on his face. Vidcund freezes, drenched in shock as his horrified look remains.

 _Later that Afternoon_

An hour later, Vidcund steps into his place of residence and autonomously shuts the front door, his face visibly stunned. Vidcund's hair and clothes are askew, and he has deep, red lipstick marks all over his face. Vidcund lets out a heavy sigh as Pascal walks over to him.

"So, are you guys broken up?" Pascal wonders, seemingly pleased with himself.

Vidcund shakes his head, his eyes wide. "No," he mutters.

"What do you mean 'no'?" Pascal calls out, unable to believe what he is hearing, "Did you do everything I told you to do?"

Vidcund blinks suddenly. "Yes," he answers.

"And…?"

"She liked it. She really, _really_ liked it. She was all over me!" Vidcund cries, throwing his hands down.

Pascal watches as Vidcund flops face-first onto the living room sofa. "Geez! Since when are girls attracted to jerks?"

Vidcund groans into the sofa, lifting his head up when he hears Pascal approaching the edge of the couch. "Face it, Pascal, I'm stuck!" he chimes, "At this rate, I'll probably end up marrying her! And now I'm for sure going to have to take her to prom!" he moans, flopping his face back down into the pillow.

Pascal crosses his arms and shakes his head at his little brother. "Come on, Vid, we can still fix this. We just have to resort to Plan B," he concludes, sitting down on the nearest armrest.

"What's Plan B?" Vidcund asks, Pascal's plan peaking his interest slightly.

"Well, if we can't get Circe to dump you for a being a jerk, then we'll just have to get her to leave you for an even bigger jerk!"

Vidcund nods, sitting up on the couch and turning to Pascal. "But who do we know who's an even bigger jerk than jerky me?"

Pascal and Vidcund simultaneously gaze out the big living room window and turn their attentions to across the street, where Loki is standing in front of a little girl's lemonade stand. They watch as Loki takes a sip of the lemonade, only to spit it out in the child's face.

"Ack! You call this lemonade?!" he outbursts, "I've peed better crap!"

Pascal and Vidcund watch the display unfold for a few more seconds before turning to one another and exchanging knowing glances. Pascal nods, seemingly giving Loki his stamp of approval.

"I don't know, Pascal," Vidcund begins, voicing his opinion, "Are you sure we want to push Circe into dating Loki?" he wonders, "I don't think I'd wish that atrocity on my worst enemy!"

"Relax, it's not like it'll go anywhere," Pascal assures him, brushing away the thought, "They'll be done with each other by the end of the week! But you're still going to have to take her to prom, though."

"That's fine, as long as that's the end of us," Vidcund replies, pulling his legs up, "So, what's the plan?"

 _One Week Later_

"Alright kids, scooch together now!" Glarn instructs, gesturing Vidcund and Circe towards the center of the foyer. Vidcund is dressed in a white tuxedo, while Circe is wearing an elegant green, floor-length dress. "Perfect!" Glarn states, snapping a few more photos of the couple, his son's half-assed smile making Vidcund appear rather nauseated. Glarn puts his camera down as Pascal steps into the hallway. "Great! Have fun you two."

Circe squeals and grabs Vidcund by the arm. "Oh, I'm so excited!" she declares, "This is going to be the best prom ever!" Circe chimes, wrapping her arms around him.

Vidcund looks to Pascal in distress. Pascal flashes him the okay sign. 'It'll be fine,' he mouths before Circe drags Vidcund out the doorway.

…

Twenty-five minutes later, Pascal and Vidcund are hiding in a faux bush at the Strangetown Banquet Hall preparing to put their plan in motion. "Any sign of jerky boy?" Vidcund asks, attempting to peer around the bush with his brother.

"Not yet," Pascal concludes, staring into his set of black binoculars, "But my scientific intuition says he'll be here any minute."

"That doesn't even make any sense," Vidcund claims, clearly puzzled.

"Hey! What is Renee doing here?" Pascal wonders, his binoculars zooming in on the brown, short-haired townie who is wearing a periwinkle sundress, "When I asked her out last year, she told me she was allergic to prom!"

"Uh, yeah…can we focus here, Pascal? I would like to not have a girlfriend by the end of the night," Vidcund reminds him, a sharp, beeping sound ringing out next to him. Vidcund turns to the left slightly, only to find Lazlo hiding in the bushes next to them a few feet away. "Hey, what is Lazlo doing here? He's not even in high school!"

"Yeah…Dad told me I had to watch him," Pascal informs him, carefully placing down his binoculars. "God! Where is that arrogantly attractive asshole?" he asks, completely oblivious to Lazlo wandering off behind them.

Vidcund shifts uncomfortably in place. "Man, I really have to pee."

"Relax, you can do that later!" Pascal assures him, brushing away the thought as he continues to look through his binoculars. "Damn it, Loki! Where are you?"

"I really can't hold it in anymore, Pascal, I'm going to head to the bathroom," Vidcund tells him, standing up in place and heading towards the bathroom.

Pascal rolls his eyes, "Psh, what a wimp!" he states.

Vidcund makes his way across the room, doing his best to dodge his classmates. Vidcund is just about to reach the bathroom, when someone steps to the side and blocks his path, a smug look plastered on his face.

"Hello Vidcund," Loki coos, scanning the look of discomfort that his rival is sporting.

"Loki!" Vidcund shouts, talking loud in the hopes of getting Pascal's attention, "What are you doing here? You don't have a date!"

"Says who?" Loki remarks, "I'll have you know, I had no problem finding someone who was dying to go with me-"

"Lokikins!" Gundrun proclaims, walking up behind her son with a plate of cheese in hand, "I found the cheese squares!" she chimes, holding them out to him, "I didn't get the cheddar ones cause I know they hurt your tummy."

Loki growls and stomps his foot. "Damn it, Mom! Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?" Loki scolds her. Next to him, Vidcund looks as though he is going to burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'll just wait in the corner," Gundrun says, backing up into a corner a few meters away. Loki groans as Gundrun continues to smile and wave at him.

Loki turns to Vidcund and gives him an icy glare. "If you laugh, I'll kill you," he threatens.

Vidcund chuckles a bit as he positions his hand slightly over his mouth, barely able to contain himself. "I'm still going to laugh anyway," he states.

"Vidcund, there you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Circe calls out, positioning herself between the two men, but only facing Vidcund. "Why are you ditching me?" she wonders.

"Uh…" Vidcund begins, nervously eyeing the bathroom, "Look, can we talk about this later? Cause I really have to go."

"No," Circe snarls, crossing her arms, "We're going to talk about this _now_ ," Circe brutishly reiterates, "This is unacceptable behavior from someone who is supposed to be my boyfriend!"

"Circe-"

"Don't 'Circe' me!" Circe yells, pointing her finger in Vidcund's face, "You're one bad action away from me dumping you! You're just lucky your idiot brother isn't here to mess things up for you!"

As if on cue, Pascal races over to Vidcund, clearly in a panic. "Vid! I lost Lazlo!" Pascal exclaims, grabbing onto his brother in anguish, "If we don't find him, Dad is going to kill me!"

"And that would be bad because…?" Loki comments, giving a sassy smirk, his arms crossed over his torso. Pascal knocks him in the side, "Hey!" Loki chimes.

"Vidcund, this is serious. You have to help me!" Pascal cries, grabbing Vidcund by the shoulders and shaking him back and forth.

"But-but-" Vidcund replies, turning towards the bathroom. He notices the helpless look in Pascal's eyes and sighs, clenching his bladder tighter. "Alright."

"So, where did you last see him?" Vidcund asks, both brothers running at top speed as they take off down the hallway.

"I don't know, Vid, that's why he's lost!" Pascal snaps, his tone getting more fearful by the second. Pascal reaches the main banquet room and pushes open the double doors.

Vidcund and Pascal gaze around the dimly-lit room, which is decorated to resemble Twikkii Island during the nighttime. Pascal scans the area, his eyes stopping on the wooden dance floor, which takes up over fifty percent of the room. "There!" Pascal cries, gesturing to Lazlo, who is swaying in the center of the dance floor, dancing with the popular girls.

"Lazlo! Lazlo!" Pascal calls out, racing over to Lazlo with Vidcund and pulling him into a smothering hug. "Thank God we found you!"

"Pascal," Lazlo whines, "You're embarrassing me in front of my new friends!"

Pascal looks up, finding a crowd of teenaged girls wearing flashy, stylish dresses surrounding them. "Is this your brother?" the blonde girl with a bright pink dress states. Pascal nods, "He's soo cute!"

"Like me?" Pascal beams.

The girl lowers her eyebrows. "No."

Pascal shrugs and nudges Vidcund in the shoulder. "Well, I tried," he states, releasing Lazlo from the hug. Suddenly, Pascal steps forward and sniffs the air, a familiar scent enticing him. "Oh my gosh! Are those mini cannolis?!" Pascal exclaims, his outburst sounding more like a statement than a question. Before anyone can answer him, Pascal races over to the table and starts stuffing a pile of desserts into his mouth.

Vidcund blinks a few times, deeply bewildered, before walking up to Pascal and staring up at the centerpiece on the table. The centerpiece is a mini replica of a Twikkii Island idol, complete with a fully-functional torch.

"Well, this has fire hazard written all over it," he notes, staring up at the bright orange flame. Vidcund gazes at the fire some more, the rich orange color causing him to feel rather sad as it resembles the hair color of the very girl he is avoiding. "Oh, what am I doing?" Vidcund vents, "I can't dump her! I would be lost without Circe!" he realizes, stepping back towards the exit, "I gotta get her back before it's too late!"

Meanwhile, Circe and Loki are standing in the main lobby, awkwardly waiting for the Curious brothers to return. "I just can't believe Vidcund would ditch me again!" Circe cries, kicking an imaginary pebble on the ground, "Who does he think he is?!"

"Obviously a dumbass, but what else is new?" Loki responds, casually taking a step inward. "You're brilliant, Circe, and if Vidcund doesn't see that then he's an idiot," he tells her, folding his arms in front of his chest, "If you ask me, a guy of his caliber should be worshipping the ground you walk on."

Circe's face softens a bit as she stares up at her classmate. "Aww, thanks Loki. That's really sweet-"

"Please!" Loki interrupts, holding his hand out to stop her, "You don't have to thank me for telling the truth."

"Ooh!" Circe coos, turning away from him to fan the warm blush that is glowing on her face.

"Circe!" Vidcund calls out, racing over to his girlfriend and grabbing her by the hand. Circe turns and locks eyes with him. "I'm so glad I found you! I'm sorry about everything that happened earlier. With all that out of the way, we can be together now!"

Circe scans Vidcund over, eyeing the sheepish sincerity that is on his face before turning to Loki, who is glaring at Vidcund a few feet behind him. "I'm sorry, Vidcund," Circe states, "but I want a man who adores me, not someone who ditches me during prom to hang out with his brothers, or er…wets his pants," she adds, gesturing down at Vidcund's crotch.

Vidcund gazes down at his pee-stained white tuxedo pants before locking eyes with Circe and hastily covering his pants with his hands, positively mortified. "Oh God…" Vidcund cries, cowering behind the faux bush as Circe and Loki watch him from a few feet away.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," Circe tells Loki with a cringe, finding the situation more disturbing by the second. Circe loops her arm around Loki's and exits the banquet hall.

"Well," Vidcund mutters from the bush as he watches his girlfriend exit the premises with another man, "at least things can't get much worse-"

"Run, everybody, run! FIRE!" Pascal cries, racing out of the main banquet room with a crowd of screaming students following behind.

Vidcund's eyes widen as he springs up from the bush and speeds out of the room with his brothers, the venue bursting into flames a few seconds later.

…

The Curious brothers are walking down the Road to Nowhere fifteen minutes after the fire department arrived to hose down the building. Vidcund is hanging onto his shoes and is dragging his feet through the sand behind his brothers, the middle brother smelly and defeated from head to toe. Pascal cheerfully turns to Lazlo, who is once again playing on his Game Boy, before locking eyes with Vidcund and giving him an enthusiastic smile. "Well, it looks like everything worked out nicely," he begins, trying his best to sound encouraging, "Our plan worked! Circe dumped you, we got her and Loki together, and I only created a mild disaster!" Pascal beams, letting out a heartfelt sniff, "I'm so proud of us!"

Vidcund stops in the middle of their front lawn and glares at Pascal. "Remind me never to ask for your help with anything ever again," he grumbles before sliding his feet through the sand and stomping onto the front porch. Pascal follows close behind him, intrigued by his brother's behavior as he enters the house. Pascal trails Vidcund to his shared bedroom, where Vidcund slams the door in his face, locking him and Lazlo out of the room.

"He _likes_ me!" Pascal states, moving his eyebrows up and down as he turns to his youngest brother. Lazlo rolls his eyes.


	15. Brotherhood

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Fifteen – Brotherhood_

"So, why does Circe need a walk-in closet anyway?" Vidcund wonders, watching as Loki installs the last rod in the master bedroom's new closet on an early Saturday morning.

"Who knows?" Loki replies, removing his hands from the rod and stepping back from the closet, "If I had to guess, I'd say it has to do with her coat hanger collection," he sighs, brushing his hands off on his jeans and leaning back slightly to admire his efforts. "Well, that's all the work I'm going to do today."

"Really?" Vidcund speaks, "You're not going to do anything else today?" he chimes, nudging Loki in the side.

Loki smirks. "Nope," he states, the pair eyeing each other knowingly.

Seconds later, the two scientists latch on to one another and start making out in the center of the room.

"Hey Vid, can I borrow your-?" Pascal begins, stepping into the bedroom. He freezes in place for a moment, his eyes widening when he sees them, before immediately swerving away. "Never mind! I'll ask Lazlo."

"Loki?" Circe yells from the hallway, shortly after Pascal exits the room, "Did you finish the closet yet? I want to sort my clothes!" she shouts, her footsteps drawing closer to the door.

"Damn it!" Loki whispers, pushing Vidcund away and holding him by the shoulders. The physicist frantically scans the room, looking for a place to hide, before realizing it's too late. Thinking quickly, Loki shoots an angry glare at Vidcund and shakes him by the shoulders as Circe appears in the doorway. "Keep your hands off my wife, Curious!" Loki overenthusiastically shouts, moving Vidcund abruptly back and forth.

Circe smiles from the doorway, seemingly satisfied by the situation. "I see you guys are busy. I'll come back later," she beams, doing a complete 180 out the door.

Vidcund guides Loki's arms down as he hears Circe walk down the stairs, visibly out of breath from all of Loki's shaking. Vidcund sighs. "That was close," he states, "We shouldn't mess around in your house anymore. It's too dangerous!"

"What are you talking about? That's only the fifth time this happened!"

"And that's how many times I've come close to meeting Death," Vidcund snappily remarks before his body transitions into a shudder, "The thought of it makes my skin crawl."

"Fine, fine. We'll stop and just have a normal conversation," Loki caves, throwing his hands down. Vidcund slowly nods as the pair awkwardly glances around the room in silence. Loki casually swings his arms back and exhales as he stares up at the ceiling. "So," he speaks suddenly, "have your glasses always been green?"

Vidcund scrunches his eyebrows and tilts his forehead as he anxiously gazes into Loki's blue eyes.

Five minutes later, Vidcund and Loki are passionately making out against the bedroom wall, their hands trailing all over each other's bodies.

"Ooh, take me now!" Vidcund screams, leading Loki away from the wall and over to the bed. Vidcund falls backwards onto it and pulls Loki closer to him.

"Whoo!" Loki cheers, landing on top of his lover as they lock lips and continue their passionate tryst.

…

Two hours later, both Vidcund and Loki are lying down in Loki and Circe's bed, disheveled, attempting to catch their breaths post-Woohoo.

"We are so bad," Vidcund laughs, his head spinning.

"Psh, tell me something I don't know," Loki responds, resting his hands behind his head.

Vidcund sighs lovingly and turns to the left, staring straight at Loki. "-That I love you," he completes.

"Believe me, I know that," Loki states monotonously, staring up at the ceiling.

Vidcund looks down and nervously traces circular patterns into the comforter, "So uh, do you love me?" he wonders, feeling his face growing hot as he leans forward in anticipation.

Loki releases a heavy sigh, his eyes not leaving the ceiling. "Vidcund, you know I can't say it to you, so why do you keep trying to push it out of me?"

"I don't know," Vidcund begins, sitting up on the bed, "I've been so open this entire time with how I feel, I guess I just don't understand why you're so closed-off with me. Do you not like me?"

Loki exhales through his nose, "I think we both know that's not true."

"Then what is it? What's missing for you?" Vidcund wonders, hanging on to Loki's every word.

Loki shrugs. "Nothing."

Vidcund moves his head back, feeling more confused than ever, "Then why don't you-?"

"-Love you?" Loki completes for him, rapidly losing his patience. Loki sits up on the bed next to Vidcund. "Look, I can't give you what you want, Vid. So why are you wasting your time with me?"

"I-I-" the young scientist blinks a few times, taken completely off-guard. He sighs, "-I don't know," he replies, his gaze landing on the floor, "Maybe I should leave."

Loki watches as Vidcund slowly gets up, grabs his clothes, and walks into the bathroom. Vidcund quickly changes, collects a handful of his toiletries, and steps into the hallway, calling out for Pascal and Lazlo. Loki clutches his comforter, finding himself torn as a familiar sense of abandonment washes over him. Loki looks up and gazes out the window, running over the options in his mind. Part of him wants to chase after Vidcund, but another part of him wants to stay glued to the comforter…and that part is winning.

A few hours later, Loki stands in the doorway of his residence, watching as all three of the Curious brothers walk down the front steps with their belongings.

"Bye Nervous! Bye Circe! Bye Loki!" Pascal cheerfully shouts, leading his brothers down the staircase. Vidcund turns slightly towards the front porch, his mouth in a line.

Vidcund locks eyes with Loki and says nothing. Loki sighs as he watches Vidcund turn away and head down the Road to Nowhere.

…

"Woohoo! We're home!" Pascal cheers, bursting open the door of their newly-revived estate. Pascal and Lazlo step into the house and immediately begin unpacking their belongings. Pascal picks up one of his cardboard boxes and places it on to the clean kitchen counter. He rubs his hands together and looks down at the box's contents. "Now let's see here: potato, pair of fifty-simoleon sunglasses, expensive gold silverware," he lists, setting each item on to the black surface as he names it off.

"Wait a minute," Vidcund states, cautiously stepping into the kitchen after him, "did you just take this stuff from the Beaker residence?"

"Why do you say that?" Pascal wonders, pulling out a coffee machine that reads 'Property of Loki Beaker' on the side of it and struggling to lift it on to the counter. He heaves a sigh of relief as he sets it carefully down next to the microwave. Vidcund reads the label on the coffee machine and crosses his arms, shooting his brother a doubtful glare. Pascal shifts his eyes, "What? It's not stealing if he can't prove it," he notes, matter-of-factly. Vidcund rolls his eyes.

"You know, you're going to have to go back there and return this stuff to Loki," Vidcund informs him, "The last thing we want is to get in trouble with the police."

Pascal paces over to the back counter, grabs a banana, unpeels it, and takes a bite. "Then you return it, he's your boyfriend," he shrugs.

Vidcund steps back, Pascal's words striking him in the chest as tears well up in his eyes. Vidcund quickly turns around and exits the room before Pascal can see him cry. Vidcund goes into his room, slams the door shut, and throws himself onto his bed, feeling the pain of Loki's rejection consuming him. He cries for a few minutes before lifting his head up slightly and letting out a small sniff. _"Oh, why doesn't anyone love me?"_ he wonders, his glasses now sticking to his tear-stained cheeks. Vidcund cries into his pillow some more until he completely drains his energy and falls asleep.

 _The Next Morning_

Ten hours later, Pascal is fasting asleep inside of his bedroom, holding on to his Saturn-shaped throw pillow as the light from the sun shines through his window. Pascal sighs lovingly as he slowly opens his eyes, the aroma of the house waking him from his slumber. "Mmm…who's barbecuing at this hour?" he says, sitting up and glancing at his alarm clock, which reads "11:37 a.m."

Suddenly, Pascal's eyes widen as a trail of black smoke drifts into his bedroom. Pascal springs up and races over to his bedroom door, he swings it open and finds the hallway bombarded with charcoal-colored smoke clouds. Pascal coughs into his hands a few times, the smoke is so thick he can barely see the hallway.

"Run, everybody, run! FIRE!" Pascal screams, stepping into the hallway. Pascal waves his hand rapidly in front of his face and hugs the wall, he feels around the side until he reaches the doorknob to Lazlo's room. He twists open the door and grabs his little brother, who is asleep on the floor next to his bed. He drags Lazlo out of the side door by his arms and sets him down safely near the mailbox. Pascal turns Lazlo over to wake him before approaching the house once more and staring up at the blazing flames.

Collecting his courage, Pascal gulps and steps through the front door, the area surrounding him growing hotter as he treks towards the kitchen. Pascal screams as the top television cracks in half and falls over, barely missing him. He crouches down on his hands and knees and crawls into the kitchen. He opens one of the lower cabinets and grabs the blender before exiting out the back door.

Pascal sprints across the front lawn, holding on to the small appliance, and joins Lazlo, who is standing next to the mailbox staring up at the inferno. Lazlo yawns and groggily scratches his armpit, the seriousness of the situation still struggling to come to him. "Where's Vid?" he asks, turning to Pascal.

"Oh no! Vid's dead!" Pascal cries, placing his hand on the side of his face as the house goes up in flames, "Vid is going to _kill_ me!"

Pascal screams as he feels someone tap on his shoulder. Pascal and Lazlo turn around only to find their middle brother shaking his head and glaring at Pascal, his arms folded across his torso.

Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the Road to Nowhere, Loki is parked in front of his mailbox flipping mundanely through three days worth of mail. He grabs one of the letters and holds it up towards the sun, stopping when he notices a line of smoke seemingly trailing out from the corner of it. "What the hell…?" Loki mutters. He pulls the letter down and spots a large amount of heavy smoke spewing out of the Curious residence.

Loki steps back, petrified, and drops the mail onto the sand. He grabs his phone and dials 911. "There's a fire at the Curious estate on 2 Cover Up Road!" Loki shouts, moving swiftly to the street corner, the fire in plain sight, "Get someone over there _now_!" he commands, hanging up the phone before the operator can speak. Loki frantically types in a second number and holds his phone up to his ear, impatiently tapping his fingers against it as he anxiously paces the street corner.

" _Hello_?"

"Crystal! The Curious brother's house is on fire as we speak!" he shouts, unable to control his volume, "Do you have Jenny's number?"

…

Fifteen minutes later, Pascal, Vidcund, and Lazlo are still standing on their lawn, watching as a team of firefighters attempts to put out the flames, all three of them standing in silence throughout the whole process. By twelve noon, the fire is completely gone. One of the firefighters approaches the brothers, holding on to a pure black object. "Well, you'll be happy to know that we located the source of the fire," the firefighter states.

"You did?" Pascal replies as Lazlo pulls his Game Boy out of his pocket, "What was it?"

The firefighter sighs and holds up the remnants of Loki's severely-damaged coffee machine. Vidcund immediately turns to the side and shoots Pascal a death glare.

Pascal eyes the coffee machine and releases a nervous chuckle. "So really, it's Loki's fault," he says, smiling innocently.

Jenny bolts on to the lot, carrying her cell phone in hand. She arrives at the scene, her face filled with desperation and heartache, the trek up the hill feeling like the longest hike of her life. "Lazlo? Vidcund? Pascal?" she calls out. Jenny scans the area and spies her brothers staring back at her from the mailbox, minus Lazlo who is tapping away on his Game Boy. "Oh, thank God!" Jenny runs over and pulls them into a warm hug. "Are you guys alright?" she questions, releasing them from the embrace.

"Yep," Vidcund answers swiftly, the glare still plastered across his face, "The only thing that was damaged besides the house was my self-esteem."

"What happened?" Jenny asks, her eyes drifting slightly towards the item that is in Pascal's hands, "And what's with the blender?"

"Yes, Pascal, what _is_ with the blender?" Vidcund repeats, his tone ice cold, "Care to explain why, when the house went up in flames, you decided to save the blender instead of me?"

Pascal takes a step back and holds the blender defensively against his chest, "Vid, you don't understand, this blender is like a brother to me."

"I'm your _actual_ brother!" Vidcund cries, rage boiling up inside of him, "And if you were stuck in that fire, I sure as hell would've saved you!" he screams, the intensity of his voice causing Jenny and Lazlo to move across the street. "God Pascal, you are so selfish!"

"Oh sure. You find that cute with Loki, but unforgivable with me!" Pascal claims, rolling his eyes, "What, are your standards higher for your brother than the guy who's banging you?" Vidcund's face turns bright red, a shade that Pascal had never seen on another sim.

"You know what?" Vidcund yells, clenching his fists so hard he can feel his fingernails digging into his skin, "You're the worst brother ever! I'm done with this, and I'm done with you!" he roars, furiously throwing his hands down, "Stay the hell away from me!"

Jenny and Lazlo rejoin Pascal by the mailbox as he watches Vidcund storm off the lot and out of sight, neither of them saying a word. After a moment, Pascal turns to his other siblings and flashes them a nervous smile.

"So uh…what are the odds he forgets about this?" Pascal states into the silence. Jenny's eyes trail to the floor as Lazlo hangs his head a bit, giving Pascal a deep, sorrowful look as he reaches up and pats him consoling on the shoulder. Jenny sighs and places a loving hand around each of them.

"Come on, you guys can stay with me," she offers.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Lazlo is sitting in the Smith's living room watching as his niece and nephew set up the gaming console. Johnny snatches one of the light blue controllers and plops down on the couch next to his uncle with Jill following suit a few seconds later.

"Uncle Lazlo, can you be on my team?" Jill asks sweetly, causing Johnny to groan behind her.

"Sure Jill," Lazlo promises from his seat in the center of the couch. Lazlo gaze drifts slightly as he eyes Pascal standing by himself on the back porch through the kitchen window, looking rather depressed as he holds on to the blender. "Actually, give me one minute. I gotta talk to Uncle Pascal."

"Hey," Lazlo greets as he approaches the brown wooden fence that Pascal is leaning against, "Are you okay?" he wonders.

Pascal merely blinks in response as he continues to stare intently out at the giant stone head, looking as though he is latching on to the blender for dear life.

Lazlo sighs, his sympathy towards his brother growing with each passing second. "Why don't you just tell Vidcund why you took the blender in the first place?"

"I can't!" Pascal cries, still staring at the Will Wright head, "He can't know the truth. If he finds out why I took it, it's going to change our entire relationship!"

"Your entire relationship already changed earlier today, can it honestly get much worse?"

Pascal huffs and throws his head down, shaking it towards the ground. "God, this wasn't supposed to happen! Now I'm in way over my head in a situation that I never wanted to be in."

"Well, what are you going to do? It's not like you can just erase his memory-" Lazlo stops instantly with regret, Pascal's face lighting up at his suggestion. "-Oh no."

"Lazlo, you're a genius! And I know just how to do it!" Pascal chimes, throwing his arms around his youngest brother and squeezing him into a hug before bolting off the property at top speed.

Across town, at the Beaker residence, Loki is sitting at his desk typing away on his computer. A loud thumping noise sounds out from the basement door as Pascal thrusts it open, storms over to Loki's desk, and slams his hands down on the surface. Loki jumps a mile and turns to him. "Loki – quick! I need to borrow one of your inventions!"

Loki scrunches his eyebrows and swerves in his desk chair as he scans the area, deeply confused by the physicist's sudden appearance. "How the hell did you get in here?"

"Look, it doesn't matter how I got in here, or how many windows I broke in the process, what matters is that you give me the Memorium 2045x right now and don't ask any questions why!" Pascal outbursts, leaning intensely towards Loki's face.

Loki sweatdrops, "Uh, I can't."

"What? Why not?"

"Cause I can't remember where I put it," Loki replies, moving his hand up to his face to cover up a rather large yawn, "Man, I'm tired. I didn't sleep well last night, and for some reason I couldn't find my coffee machine this morning-"

"Yes, yes, it's always all about you!" Pascal states in exasperation as he grabs Loki by the shoulders and starts shaking him aggressively, "If you can't find it, then at least help me come up with a plan to win Vidcund back, or I will burn this place to the ground...figuratively, of course," Pascal adds, letting go of him.

Loki huffs and smooths out his sweater sleeves. "Now why would I do that? You're my natural competitor!" Loki reminds his rival, "With you gone, I only have to compete with Lazlo for attention, and he's not a time-hogger like you are."

"Because, if I go down, then I'm taking you down with me!" Pascal exclaims, leaning forward dramatically.

Loki rolls his eyes, "Psh! Yeah, right. You don't have anything on me!"

Pascal throws his head back and laughs, his hands perched on his hips. "Oh _really_?" he coos, "Care to ask for a second opinion from Cassandra, or Craig, or Cindy?" Loki widens his eyes, visibly stunned. "-That's right, I know all about your various sabotages! You're not the only one who enjoys coming into work early and hiding under lab tables!"

Loki lowers his eyebrows, "You know, Pascal, by threatening me, you're not exactly improving your brother's opinion of you. If you want to mend things with Vidcund and strengthen you guys' relationship, maybe you should work on actually being considerate of other people's feelings, which is crazy coming from me, I know," Loki adds as Pascal cocks his forehead.

"Okay," Pascal calmly responds, "Then teach me how to be a better sim."

Loki glares, "That's not my forte," he states, "that's actually the exact opposite of my forte. Come back here when you want to be a supervillain," he says, cupping his mouse in his hand and returning to his work.

Pascal backs away from the desk, turns towards the broken basement door, and sighs. "I'm never going to win him back."

 _Meanwhile: On the Road to Nowhere_

Vidcund is walking along the Road to Nowhere dragging his feet and kicking a pebble on the ground in front of him. "Why do I even bother?" he says into the vast desert, "They don't care about me. Am I destined to be surrounded by sims who take everything from me and give me nothing in return?" he vents, kicking the pebble harder, "Why is it so hard for me to let go of sims who don't love me?" Vidcund cries, stopping in place and cradling his forehead before his anger gets the best of him.

"VID! VID!" someone calls out behind him. Vidcund turns around only to find Lazlo racing towards him. Lazlo stops a few feet away from Vidcund and leans down against his knees, attempting to catch his breath. After a few heavy huffs, Lazlo stands up and flashes him a smile. "Can we talk?"

Ten minutes later, Lazlo and Vidcund are situated in the Strangetown Coffee Shoppe, sitting at the back table near the door. Lazlo breathes in the scent of his coffee and sighs before setting it back down on the black and white checkered tabletop. "You know, Vidcund, I'm surprised this one incident changed your entire view of you and Pascal's relationship," Lazlo begins, finally addressing the elephant in the room, "Pascal has always been a great brother," Vidcund dubiously raises his eyebrow at this news, "Well, maybe not the greatest," Lazlo quickly corrects, "but he tries. And there's no one he tries harder for than you."

"That's not true," Vidcund counters, setting down his coffee, "he does _tons_ of things for you!"

"Maybe," Lazlo shrugs, "but it's not hard for him. I mean, it's easy to get along with someone if they're similar to you, but it takes a lot more effort to bond with someone who isn't. And who does he spend the most time with?"

"Damn it, me!" Vidcund admits, knocking his fist down on the table.

Lazlo smiles. "Exactly," he states, "And sure, Pascal acts selfish at times, but you shouldn't let that erase all the unselfish things that he's done for you over the years. Like when he helped cheer us up and took care of us after mom died, and when he helped you break up with Circe, and when he started acting even crazier so people would stop picking on you for the whole wetting your pants thing."

"He did that for _me_?" Vidcund squeaks, tilting his forehead, "I thought that was because he was losing his mind."

"No," Lazlo shakes his head, "At least, not at first," he clarifies, "You see Vidcund, Pascal was right when he said that he and Loki are similar. But Loki does things for his own benefit, while Pascal usually does things for ours. Did you ever even ask him why he took the blender?" he wonders.

"No. I guess not," Vidcund answers honestly, staring out at the wall ponderously.

"Well, maybe you should," Lazlo states matter-of-factly as he stands up in his seat, chugs down the rest of his drink, and leaves Vidcund alone to think.

Later that night, Vidcund walks on to the back porch of his sister's residence and heads towards the back door. His hands stop on the doorknob when he spies Pascal sitting alone in the kitchen fiddling carelessly with a straw wrapper as he slowly eats a chocolate pudding cup. Vidcund has never seen anyone look so sad eating pudding. He takes a deep breath and walks into the house.

"Hey," he greets, slowly approaching the table.

"Hey," Pascal answers, still staring down at the floor.

"Can I sit down?"

Pascal shrugs, looking as though he doesn't care either way, "If you want."

Vidcund nods and pulls out one of the wooden kitchen chairs. He takes the seat perpendicular to his brother. Vidcund sinks slightly into the seat and sighs. "So, why did you take the blender?" Pascal doesn't answer and merely stares down in defeat. "Come on, Pascal, after everything that happened today, I at least deserve to know what was more important to you than my life."

Pascal puts down his spoon and sighs, gesturing over to the blender on the counter in a deep surrender, "Then go ahead," he states.

Pascal slouches down in his seat, cringing slightly, as he watches Vidcund walk over to the kitchen counter and pick up the blender. Vidcund lifts the appliance and scans the opaque exterior over, before setting it down on the kitchen table and lifting up the lid. His face scrunches as he pulls out a Book of Life that has his name printed on it in shiny, gold letters. Vidcund steps back, his eyes filling with tears as he looks down at Pascal, who is still sitting meekly at the table with his shoulders slumped. Vidcund is so shocked he can barely speak, "How did you get this?"

Pascal shrugs. "I hacked into The Sims 4," he mutters, still staring at the floor, "I didn't think you were going to make it, so I just wanted to be sure."

Vidcund steps forward, a warm feeling forming in his heart as he holds on to the book even tighter. "You really love me, don't you?"

"That's not how I would say it, but yeah," Pascal squeaks, giving a small smile. Vidcund hugs the book to his chest, tearing up so much in his eyes he can barely see. He races over to Pascal and throws his arms around him.

After a few moments, Pascal taps Vidcund on the back, still being squeezed by the hug, "Uh, Vid?" he mutters into his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Not to ruin the moment, but you totally crushed my pudding cup," Pascal informs him.

Vidcund pulls back from the hug only to find a slab of chocolate pudding caked on Pascal's chest. Vidcund smiles and laughs. "Sorry," he states as Jenny steps into the kitchen carrying a glass of water.

"Uh, I'm going to go wash up," Pascal says, discarding his empty pudding cup into the trashcan and stepping into the hallway.

Jenny grabs the refrigerator door handle and smiles at her middle brother. "Well, I'm happy to see you guys made up," she speaks, pulling open the door and grabbing the milk carton, "Still, this must've been a rough day for you. I mean, your house caught on fire," Jenny continues; Vidcund nods in agreement, "I'm just glad I got the call from Loki when I did; I was about to head to work," she says, reaching into one of the top kitchen cabinets and pulling out an empty glass.

Hearing this, Vidcund immediately stops nodding and cocks his forehead in confusion, "Wait, what?"

"Yeah," Jenny confirms, "He said he saw the house up in flames while he was out getting the mail. He called 911, then told me to head over to your place to make sure you guys were alright," Vidcund raises his eyebrows, "-I was surprised, too. I always got the impression that Loki didn't like you guys. Guess he's not as big of a jerk as I originally thought."

Vidcund stares straight ahead as he continues to sit at the kitchen table, his face filled with astonishment. "No, he's not," he squeaks.

…

A few hours later, Vidcund is walking over to a deserted street corner, stopping when he finds himself right next to the Tesla Court street sign. He sighs as he scans the Road to Nowhere, which is understandably dark and empty at three in the morning. Vidcund turns back around and rubs his arms softly, the air surprisingly cold around him.

"Hey, you're alive," Loki states, attempting to make light of the situation as he approaches the lone sim on the corner. Loki is wearing a jacket as well. "That's good news," he quips.

Vidcund doesn't budge and continues to stare at Loki intensely. "Why'd you do it?"

Loki gazes down at the sand and does a quick nose laugh, his hands in his pockets, "I think it's pretty obvious why I called, Viddy."

"Then why didn't you come?" he wonders.

"I thought you didn't want to see me."

"I did."

"Oh," Loki mutters, Vidcund's response catching him slightly off-guard, "Well, can't say I blame you," Loki says, flashing a miniature version of his classic Loki smirk. His smile fades significantly when he notices Vidcund staring down at the sand with a tinge of disappointment in his eyes.

Loki steps forward and grabs Vidcund's hands, holding them delicately in front of him, "Hey, listen, I really like you, okay?" Loki speaks softly into the silence, affectionately rubbing his knuckles, "Stay here with me."

Vidcund looks up at Loki, feeling his heart break as he stares into his eyes. "No. I should go," he firmly states, feeling himself both physically and emotionally pulling away.

Loki watches as Vidcund walks away from him and turns towards the Road to Nowhere, "Why?"

Vidcund stops at the street corner. "Because you don't love me, and you never will!" he cries, staring him down, "So why am I wasting my time?!"

"Vidcund, you don't understand!" Loki counters, stepping towards him, "It's not that I don't love you, I think I proved that yesterday. It's more complicated than that-"

"Okay, then what is it?" Vidcund demands, crossing his arms.

"It's-" Loki begins, before holding back with a sigh, "I can't tell you."

"Great. So it doesn't exist!" Vidcund sasses.

"-That's a dangerous assumption."

"Loki, you have been stringing me along for a year, and I'm not going to put up with it anymore!" Vidcund shouts definitively, "Have a nice life!" he yells, giving an overly-enthusiastic, sarcastic wave and taking off down the Road to Nowhere.

" _Vid_!"

Vidcund treks along the Road to Nowhere, tearing up as Loki's voice drifts further and further away from him. Vidcund brings his hand up to his face, trying his best not to look back at what he once thought was his future, wondering if his life would ever be what most sims considered "normal".

But the longer Vidcund walks down the street, the more he realizes that Loki is right; it is more complicated than that.

Vidcund just doesn't know how right that statement really is.


	16. The Annual SimSanto Picnic

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Sixteen – The Annual SimSanto Picnic_

Saturday morning arrives at the Smith residence as the sun gleams through the guest bedroom window, lighting up the pale chestnut décor. Vidcund sighs and turns over in bed, hoping to shield his eyes from the slight disturbance. "It's picnic time!" Pascal cries, slamming open the door and smiling about a mile wide, "Who's excited? I'm excited! Whoo!" he cheers, throwing his arms up in the air.

Vidcund groans and pulls the quilt up over his face before lazily throwing his arms out above his head. Seeing this, Pascal walks over to the base of the bed and shakes his head at his brother.

"Aww, Vidcund, don't be sad because you've finally realized your self-worth!" he tells him, "Get up and come to the picnic, we're going to have a _great_ time!" Pascal exclaims, reaching over and shaking Vidcund in excitement.

"Right…" Vidcund moans, sitting up against the headboard to glare at Pascal as he crosses his arms against his torso, clearly disheveled. "And how sure are you on that?"

"Well, I'm about ninety percent sure something eventful is going to happen," Pascal states matter-of-factly, "So we either have a great time, or it ends in a total disaster."

Vidcund sighs, "So knowing us, it's probably going to be the second one," he remarks.

Pascal nods. "Exactly!" he chimes as Lazlo wanders into the guest room.

"Hey, I heard SimSanto's picnic is today-" he begins.

"Where did you hear that?" Vidcund wonders.

"I heard Pascal shouting it down the hall," Lazlo replies, quickly waving away the statement, "Anyway, do you guys mind if I tag along? I don't really have anything to do today, plus I heard Crystal's going to be there, and I was hoping you guys could help me impress her."

"Lazlo, look at our love lives," Pascal states, gesturing between himself and Vidcund, "Don't you think we're more cautionary tales than effective wingmen?" he proposes, "I mean, just look at Vid!" Pascal points out, motioning towards his middle brother. Vidcund gives a heavy sigh, rubs the dried drool off his cheek, and rolls his eyes.

"Maybe," Lazlo says suddenly, "But you guys are my brothers, so I trust your advice."

"Well alright, it's your funeral," Pascal states, grabbing his coat from the closet and throwing it over his shoulder. Pascal turns to his brothers and smiles, "Now come on, we have a picnic to attend!"

 _Later that Morning_

"I still don't understand why you had to come with me to this," Loki states expressionless as he walks down the Road to Nowhere with his sister. Next to him, Erin is smiling about a mile wide and is hovering around him like a bumblebee.

"Because I love picnics," she chimes, "And I wanted to spend time with my favorite brother, of course," she quickly adds before flashing an innocent smile.

Loki narrows his eyes at her. "You know, it's not a compliment when I'm the only one," he says as the pair steps on to the park lot near SimSanto Labs. "This way," Loki tells Erin, as he leads them into a crowd of fellow employees, who are all standing around a platformed stage in the center of the park. A few of the workers cheer as Crystal approaches the onstage podium.

Crystal adjusts the microphone on the wooden stand and leans down into it. "Thank you," she states, waiting for the noise from the crowd to die down before continuing, "Thank you all for coming to the Twenty-fifth Annual SimSanto Picnic," Crystal smiles at the crowd, "Now, we have a lot of great activities happening today, so everyone please pay attention…"

"Is that your boss?" Erin whispers into Loki's ear as she nudges him in the side with her elbow. Loki nods slightly, his attention locked on the young woman. "Wow," Erin nods, now staring up at Crystal as well, "Impressive."

Loki leans back, his sister's comment taking him off-guard. "Yeah…" he mutters, his sight getting rather cloudy.

…

"Well, this is it," Loki excitedly states, watching from his side of the mattress as Crystal straps on her work badge. "Today everyone's going to know that you and I are together," he beams, sitting up from the bed and tossing his blanket, Cuddles, on to the lounge chair near the door.

Crystal smooths out her blouse and peers at herself through the dresser mirror. "Yeah," she says suddenly, unable to look him in the eyes. "This is it."

Loki steps forward and delicately grabs Crystal's hands. "What's the matter? Aren't you excited?" he wonders.

"Yeah, of course I am," she replies, not sure who she is trying to convince with these words, "I'm just nervous, that's all. It's not every day that I go public with a relationship."

"I know what you mean," Loki responds, "But if it makes you feel any better, it took me three years to go public with my relationship with Circe, and we all know how that turned out," he states with a shiver. "Well, I'll see you downstairs!" Loki chimes, his demeanor instantly changing as he exits the room.

Crystal stands in place, alone in the empty room. She glances around the bedroom, which is filled with expensive décor that is meticulously placed from the ceiling to the floor. Crystal moves her gaze to the window. Nothing about this room is comforting. It just isn't her.

Crystal sighs and wonders how much longer she can live in this lie.

…

"Alright," Crystal smiles and claps her hands together, "Here to introduce our first and main event of this picnic is none other than Loki Beaker!" Crystal exclaims from the podium, gesturing Loki up onstage.

Erin watches as her brother stands stationary in the crowd, continuing to hang on to his manager's every word. "Loki!" Erin hisses, nudging him in the side for the second time that day, "She's calling you up onstage."

"Oh, sorry," Loki weakly apologizes after giving his head a shake, seemingly returning into reality. He climbs up the small wooden staircase and positions himself next to her. "Okay, intellectual inferiors," Loki begins, reaching behind the podium and pulling out a stack of papers, "It's time for the only event that actually matters: The S.S. Scavenger Hunt. This year's hunt was designed by Mr. Craig Ray, so you know it's going to be a complete disappointment."

"Hey!" Craig cries out from the back of the stage.

"Come on Craig, you know it's true," Loki states behind him, before turning back to face the crowd, who is nodding in agreement. "Anyway, we will be splitting everyone up into teams of three, and each team will receive a list of ten items that they must locate onsite. Whoever finds the most items by the end of the day wins," Loki explains, tapping his hands against the podium, "Now, to make this fair, we will draw names out of this hat to select the teams," he says, holding up a gold-rimmed, classic black top hat in his right hand. "Everyone that works at the company is in here, minus Craig, who made the map, so you may be stuck with Crystal or I as a team member," he states, flashing a small smirk. "We'll draw the names for each team, and then we'll get started on the hunt."

Fifteen minutes later, all but five sims have been selected for teams and are standing near the side of the stage awaiting further instruction. Loki briefly places his hand on the rim of the hat and stares out at the nearly-empty crowd below him, which consists of the three Curious brothers and Charles Lawson. Loki turns to Crystal, who is still standing next to him onstage, and shrugs.

"Alright," he states, turning towards the remaining sims, "I will now select the members of Team 18." Loki holds his breath as he reaches into the hat and pulls out three slips of paper. "Okay. The first member is me," he completes, unfolding the sheet of paper and tossing into on to the mountain of discards on the podium. "The second member is – Vidcund," Loki completes, his face instantly falling at this discovery, "And the last member of Team 18 is – _oh, you have got to be kidding me!_ " Loki mutters away from the microphone as he stares down at the final slip of paper. He groans as he leans back defeatedly into the device. "-Pascal."

"Woohoo! Yeah!" Pascal cheers from the audience, throwing his arms up in the air in excitement. Vidcund is standing next to him with his arms crossed. "Dream team, right here!" Pascal exclaims, pointing down at the pair.

"-And that just leaves me and Charles," Crystal says, staring down at the two remaining slips of paper. "-Which means we're short a person," she tells Loki.

Loki stares down at the sparse crowd and eyes Lazlo who is standing behind his brothers looking completely lost. Loki turns back to Crystal and points to the scientist. "Eh, take little dingus, he's not doing anything today," he suggests. "Now everyone line up behind the stage, this competition is about to begin. Remember, you only have three hours to complete the hunt. The winners receive one week of paid vacation, so no goofing off!"

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

Loki and Vidcund are walking into the park woods each carrying a scavenger hunt map in hand while Pascal trails behind them singing showtunes. After fifteen minutes of hearing the same song nonstop, Loki crumples his map up in frustration, stops in place, and shots Pascal a death glare. "Pascal, I swear if you sing that song one more time, I'm going to kill you!"

"Hey, don't blame me. Vidcund's the one who bought me the CD," Pascal chimes, "Right, Vid?" Vidcund pulls down his map slightly and gives Loki a half-assed nod before turning away from him. "Wow. You can just taste the awkwardness."

Loki scrunches his forehead. "What?" he states, before shaking some sense into his brain, "Never mind. The first item is this way," he says, stepping back and leading them further into the woods.

After a few minutes of trekking uphill, Loki turns around only to find an empty path behind him. _"Psh, leave it to the Curious brothers to get lost on a manmade nature trail!"_ Loki quietly remarks, smiling to himself as he walks towards a large oak tree. He stops when he sees Crystal's team on the other side of it. Loki's stomach flops when he notices Crystal holding Lazlo's hand. Loki quickly grabs his stomach, wondering why he suddenly feels ill.

"Lazlo, grab the acorn," Crystal instructs, carefully letting go of him, "I think I see the second item up ahead."

Lazlo nods. "Right," he says, turning back towards the tree.

Loki steps back a bit and crouches down near the dirt, doing his best to stay out of sight. He stares down at the acorns, a devious plan forming in his mind, as he reaches down and grabs a large handful of the acorns that have the company's logo on them and stuffs them into his pocket. _"Good luck winning now,"_ Loki smirks as he takes off in search of his team.

On the other side of the tree, Lazlo has finished collecting the acorns and is holding them in his open hands. "Lazlo, come on!" Crystal calls out from the park's play structure.

"Okay!" Lazlo smiles, stepping towards the sound of her voice. Lazlo stops immediately when he notices Charles blocking his path, the rich connoisseur's arms crossed.

"Lazlo, what are you doing?" Charles states, scanning over the young scientist.

"Uh…what do you mean?" he squeaks, nervously playing with his hands.

"I mean, why are you wasting your time with this? Crystal is never going to date a guy like you," Charles remarks, crossing his arms over his torso.

"Why not?"

"Because, Crystal's a sophisticated businesswoman, and you're a loser who is just a less successful version of his brothers," Charles states, storming forward, snatching the acorns from Lazlo's palms, and stuffing them into his pockets, "Stay in your league, Curious. You're embarrassing yourself."

…

"Come on Crystal, you're not going to embarrass yourself. Everything is going to be fine," Crystal tells herself as she stands in front of a booming SimSanto Laboratory at nine in the morning. "Loki already told everyone, so all you have to do is just go inside." Crystal says. She paces the bottom of the staircase a few more times, hoping to ease the butterflies that are on an angry rampage in her stomach before she steps inside and faces her fate.

Crystal wobbles up the stone staircase, takes a deep breath, and enters through the doorway. She sighs as she glances around the first floor, which appears to be doing business as usual. Crystal smiles and makes her way to her office on the second floor. She reaches her office door and turns towards the work station on the second floor, where both Vidcund and Loki are sitting at their desks. Loki smiles and flashes her the 'everything's good' sign when he notices her presence.

Crystal steps into her office only to see Craig there waiting for her. Craig stands up from the visitor's chair and greets her. "Hey Crystal, sorry if I startled you, but I thought we had a meeting today to discuss a potential raise."

"Oh, right. Of course, let me just get my notebook," Crystal states, stepping into her office and grabbing the notebook on her desk as Craig shuts the door. She sits in her desk chair and grabs a pen, giving the physicist her full attention. "Alright, so let's hear it. Why do you deserve a raise?"

"Alright," Craig begins, taking the seat across from her, "Well, ever since Loki left the Physics Department, I've been picking up all of his old work while still completing all of my own – so essentially I've been doing double the work for the same wage."

"Okay, but it wasn't your responsibility to pick up his assignments, in fact, the projects were officially given to Pascal," Crystal informs him, "And most of the assignments Loki completed before he was promoted."

Craig stares up at the ceiling and releases a heavy sigh. "So you're not going to give me a raise, even though I did all that work for free?"

Crystal shakes her head. "No," she says, writing a few lines down on her notebook.

"Well, I guess I should've known the only way to get any recognition here is to sleep with the boss!" Craig quips, throwing his hands up slightly as he walks towards the door.

"Craig!" Crystal cries, her cheeks flashing bright scarlet as he storms out the door. Crystal sits up from her desk and locks eyes with Loki, who has turned around to witness the commotion. She flashes him her best fake smile before leaning back in her seat and getting back to work.

A few hours later, Crystal heads into the cafeteria with Loki. She steps into the doorway only to find fifty sets of eyes staring at them. "Okay everyone," Crystal says, doing her best to stay calm and composed as she speaks to them, "Thirty more minutes for lunch and then we have to get started on next month's projects!"

Crystal watches as many of her employees shake their heads and turn away from her, seemingly dismissing her orders. Crystal stares around the room for a moment, suddenly feeling weak. She quickly turns around and walks out of the room.

"Crystal-" Loki begins, turning towards her, watching as she walks through the double doors, leaving him alone with the crowd. He crosses his arms and glares at the scientists, "What is your guys' problem?"

Pascal walks by, carrying a single apple on his tray, and stops in front of Loki, "That depends. How many minutes do we get to explain it?"

…

"Well, we just have one more item left to get before we miraculously win this challenge," Loki states as he travels through the park with Vidcund and Pascal on either side of him.

"Hoorah," Vidcund sarcastically chimes, throwing his fist up and staring at his wristwatch. "Man, just in time, too. We only have five minutes left."

Pascal nods and stops in front of an occupied oak tree. "Ooh, a beehive! Do you think the queen would like some visitors?" Pascal wonders, "I always wanted to study the behavior of bumblebees."

"Pascal, no," Vidcund groans, joining his brother near the oak tree while Loki walks ahead, "I still haven't recovered from our first encounter."

Loki rolls his eyes as he heads down the hill towards the open area of the park, staring down at the last item on the list. He ponders over the final clue for a moment before he spies the final item near the park benches. " _Leave it to Craig to make the last item a platinum twig_ ," Loki remarks to himself as he reaches for it. All of a sudden, he stops, noticing Lazlo sitting on one of the park benches a few feet away.

Loki tenses up when he hears Crystal's voice ring out from the opposite side of the area. "Hey Lazlo, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!" she smiles, "What are you doing here all by yourself?" she wonders, staring down at the scientist.

Lazlo continues staring into the dirt, unsure of what to say to her as he nervously taps his fingers against his kneecaps. "Uh…it got too crowded up there, so I decided to come down here and get some fresh air," he lies.

Crystal tilts her forehead, clearly concerned. "That doesn't sound like you."

"You're right, it doesn't," Lazlo sighs, still staring down at the dirt. "Look Crystal, I like you, but you deserve better than me. Face it, I'm a failure," he frowns. "All I wanted was to win those vacation days for you, so I could finally take you out on a date, but I couldn't even decipher one clue!" Lazlo exclaims, "I'm just a pathetic loser who's dating someone way out of his league!"

Crystal steps towards Lazlo and slowly takes a seat down next to him. She looks over at the youngest Curious brother, who is sporting the saddest facial expression she has ever seen. From the look on his face, Crystal can tell that Lazlo actually believes his words. Crystal gives a soft sigh and wraps her hand around his. "Come on Lazlo, I can give you a million reasons why that's not true," she tells him, "If anything, you're too good for me-"

Lazlo lifts his head up to object, "Crystal-"

"I mean it, Lazlo. You make me so happy," Crystal continues, "Honestly, I haven't been this happy in years," she confesses, "And don't worry about winning this silly competition, we'll get time to be together, even if I have to pay extra for it."

Loki leans back slightly, holding his hand up to his chest, Crystal's words shaking him to the core. " _Man, Ms. Fortune Sim would take a pay cut just to go on a date with Lazlo? She must really like him,"_ Loki vents. He sits back in place, holding the platinum twig in his hand as the other remains on his aching heart. Loki stares down at the twig, then back up at the happy couple on the park bench. _"She's right, I've never seen her so happy,"_ Loki realizes. After a few moments of silent pondering, Loki sighs and leans forward, unable to believe what he is about to do. He closes his eyes, moves forward, and slowly places the twig where he believes it would do the most good.

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

"Alright, so far no one has correctly located every single item on this list," Craig explains, holding up his clipboard as he stands with all the finishing teams at the finish line. "That means if Team 19 has all ten items, they win one week of paid vacation…except Lazlo, who doesn't work here."

"Zing!" Pascal rings out from behind his youngest brother. Next to Pascal, Vidcund shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

Craig steps over and eyes the nine items that Crystal and Charles are holding up to him. "By the looks of it, you guys have tied with Team 18. Do you have any other items?"

Crystal turns to the men on her team and shrugs. "I don't think so," she states.

"God, I could use some video games," Lazlo says, shaking his head lightly as he reaches into his pocket. "Hey, what's this?" Lazlo wonders, pulling out the odd-shaped platinum twig that was in his pocket.

"That's the last item on the list," Craig replies, grabbing the twig from him, "You guys found all ten items, which means Team 19 wins The S.S. Scavenger Hunt!"

"Really?" Crystal chimes, throwing her arms around the startled scientist, Lazlo blushes at her touch, "Oh my gosh, thank you, Lazlo!" she beams.

A few minutes later, Lazlo walks over to his brothers who are standing near the finish line conversing with each other. They stop when Lazlo approaches, eyeing the first-place ribbon that is pinned to his t-shirt.

"Congratulations, Lazlo," Vidcund states, "We're really proud of you."

"Yeah, you won the scavenger hunt, and you don't even work here!" Pascal exclaims with a nod.

"Thanks guys," Lazlo smiles sincerely, "And thanks for all your help back there."

"You're welcome!" Pascal enthusiastically chimes, pointing his finger in Lazlo's face briefly before pulling it back down. Pascal holds it up to his lips in a ponder, "Wait, when did we help you?"

Lazlo lets out a light nose laugh and looks concisely at the sky, "When you snuck the winning scavenger hunt item into my pocket."

Pascal turns to Vidcund, a puzzled expression spread across his face. "I didn't do that," Pascal states.

"-Me neither," Vidcund adds, appearing just as confused.

Lazlo steps forward, slowly scanning the area around them. "Then who did…?"

A few minutes earlier, Loki stands at the top of the park's hill, watching as Lazlo pulls the platinum twig out of his pocket. Loki stares forlornly down at the grass as Crystal throws her arms around the youngest Curious brother.

"Wow," Erin speaks up, joining her brother on the hill and staring down at the celebration, "Talk about good luck," she states.

Loki blinks, unable to turn away from the scene, a stern expression on his face. "There's no such thing as luck, Erin. You should know that."

"Then how did he-?" Erin begins, meeting Loki's evident gaze and staring into his eyes. " _You_ did it?" Loki nods, "Why?"

"I don't know," Loki answers, staring back down at the crowd as the winds quiet around them, "perhaps I'm growing soft."

Erin nods slightly and continues to stare at her brother, eyeing the distraught grooves on his face as he stares down at Lazlo and Crystal hugging. "It was her, wasn't it?" Erin states into the silence, "She's the girl who broke your heart?"

Loki gazes forward and swallows, still trying to keep his composure, as he realizes he can no longer fight the truth, "Yes," he confesses.

"Are you over her?"

Loki sighs, his gaze trailing to the ground, "I thought so," he reveals, "but now I'm not so sure."

Erin nods once more, still in disbelief that her brother is being so vulnerable. "Well, why don't you just try to get her back?" she asks.

"Because…" Loki begins, holding back tears as he stares down at the couple, "…that's just not who I am."

…

Loki steps into the doorway of his castle on 1 Tesla Court, throws his keys down on to the foyer end table, and slams the door behind him. "Crystal?" Loki calls up the stairs as he ascends to the second floor and into the dimly-lit hallway, "Crystal!" Loki shouts once more, stopping when he notices the master bedroom's light is on. Loki steps into the doorway and glances around the room, which is covered with Crystal's clothes. Loki spies Crystal sorting through her toiletries on the dresser.

"Hey, where were you?" Loki wonders as Crystal stuffs everything into her makeup bag, "I didn't see you around this afternoon."

"I took a half day," Crystal quickly answers, turning away from him, "I needed a break."

"Oh," Loki states as his eyes trail to the large pastel pink suitcase that is sprawled open across his bed. "Are you going to the spa?"

Crystal plops one final shirt on to the suitcase, sits down on the bed, and sighs. "No," she says, unable to look at him. Loki steps forward, noticing the agonizing expression that is on Crystal's face. He has never seen her look so defeated.

"Are you okay?" he wonders, taking a seat down next to her.

"I can't do this, Loki," Crystal says suddenly.

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't do this, okay?" Crystal declares, standing up and throwing her arms down in emphasis, "I can't be with you."

Loki tilts his forehead, unable to believe what he is hearing. "Why not?" he wonders.

"Because I can't handle all of this!" Crystal exclaims, gesturing around the room once more, "I'm lonely all the time; no one respects me at work. I can't live my life anymore, and it's only going to get worse!" Crystal tells him, "Face it, Loki, if Circe had been at the office today, it would've been real hell."

"Crystal, don't worry about those jerks at work," Loki assures her, "I'll take care of them."

"I don't want you fighting my battles for me," Crystal sighs, "It wouldn't be fair."

"To who?" Loki speaks up, "Our coworkers? Who cares what they think! What do you think?" he wonders, "Because you're the only person whose opinion I care about," Loki says, standing up and grabbing her by the hand.

Crystal's eyes slowly trail down to their enjoined hands, her face tingling. She takes a step away from him. "I think…that this fake relationship has gone way too far," Crystal confesses. "I've worked my entire life to get where I am today, and I'm not going to give it up for-"

"-For what?" Loki states challengingly. He tightens his body, knowing the next words he hears are going to sting.

Crystal looks down at the ground briefly before staring back up at Loki. "For you," she completes, wondering if it hurts her more to say these words than it hurts Loki to hear them. "You built a life here, Loki, and that's great, but it's not for me."

"Then make it for you!" Loki pleads, blocking the door.

"Loki-"

"I'm serious, Crystal. Change everything, I don't care!" Loki cries, desperately gesturing around at the room décor, "I love you!"

"-And I don't love you," Crystal reveals, tears forming in her eyes. Loki steps back, this revelation deflating him and leaving him crushed, "I'm sorry, Loki, I do care about you, but I can't live this lie knowing you believe it. And that's why you and I are done," Crystal squeaks, barely able to force the words out of her mouth before the tears stream down her face.

Loki turns towards her, clearly jolted, everything seemingly moving in slow motion as he reaches out to the sim departing in the doorway. "Crystal, no! Please, don't leave me! Please!" he begs in distress.

Loki steps back, the room clouding up around him as the sound of the front door slamming shut breaks his heart in half. Loki kneels on the floor of what was once their future and bursts into tears, his whole world crumbling around him, leaving nothing but a broken shell.

…

"After all that happened, one thing's for sure…" present-day Loki tells Erin as they stare out at Crystal from atop the park hill, "…I'll never love again," he states before falling to his knees and covering his face in heartache. Erin crouches down and wraps her arms around her brother, neither of them saying a word.


	17. Kitty

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Seventeen – Kitty_

"-And that's why I've been banned from the dentist's office," Pascal completes, adjusting his textbooks on the table in front of him. Pascal and Vidcund are sitting at one of the picnic tables outside of Strangetown High School, conversing with one another in the hopes of speeding up recess.

"I know. I was there, remember?" Vidcund groans, slowly lifting his head up from the surface and rubbing his aching temples with his fingers.

"Oh yeah," Pascal awes, smiling as he recalls that very day, "Good times," he states giving a sigh as he stares up at the clear, blue sky. Pascal's carefree mood diminishes slightly when someone approaches their table and blocks the light.

"Hey dingus, other dingus," Loki greets, barely able to keep his body from shaking.

Vidcund's eyes widen as he locks eyes with his rival, who looks like he just got ran over by a train; his body covered in bruises. "Whoa, what happened to you?"

"Well, if you must know, I got into a slight altercation with Buzz," Loki replies, swaying weakly from side to side, "Apparently, he really hates it when people correct his grammar and make suggestions on how to fix his odor."

"Psh! I could've told you that!" Pascal remarks, rolling his eyes up at the clouds.

"Man, I feel sorry for the next person who stares at him the wrong way. Everyone knows Buzz is twice as dangerous after his first adrenaline boost," Vidcund notes.

"Oh, right. That's why I came over here," Loki recalls, snapping his fingers and pointing at the Curious brothers, "He's beating up your brother."

"WHAT?!" Vidcund cries, slamming his hands down on the table and springing up in his seat. Vidcund races across the school grounds as Pascal quickly loops his legs over the bench.

"Vidcund, wait for me! We can take him out together!" Pascal shouts before running after his brother. Loki moans and drapes himself over the tabletop.

Across the school grounds, Buzz has Lazlo by the shirt collar and is slamming him back against the tree.

"Buzz!" Vidcund yells, staring Buzz dead in the eyes as he clenches his fists at his sides, "Leave my brother alone!"

"Yeah, I don't think so," Buzz smirks, still holding on to Lazlo, who looks as if he is about to cry through his black eye. "I don't take orders from sissies."

Vidcund cocks his forehead, clearly confused. "How am I a sissy if I'm standing up to you? Wouldn't that make me the exact opposite of a sissy?"

Buzz stands in place for a moment, his brain attempting to think this one over. After mere seconds of unsatisfactory results, Buzz simply scrunches his face and points at the blonde Curious brother. "That's it! You are dead, Viddy boy!"

"Over my dead body!" Pascal cries. He lunges forward in an attempt to tackle Buzz, but misses completely and dives head-first into the sand.

"Oh God," Vidcund groans, shielding his face with his hand. "We really should've planned this out better," he states as Buzz's shadow towers over him.

Five minutes later, Circe steps down the cafeteria stairs and enters the schoolyard, her happy demeanor instantly fading when she finds half of the student body moaning on the ground, holding their stomachs in pain. Circe scans the area and moves towards the center, the sound of punching ringing in her ears.

Vidcund groans and holds his injured side as Buzz approaches the tree. Buzz cracks his fists and looks down on the shaking student. "Any last words, weakling?" Buzz spits at Vidcund's feet.

Vidcund nervously glances around the area, finding Pascal passed out in the sand and Lazlo cowering behind a bush, before giving a fearful swallow and staring up at the bully. "No, I'm good," he states.

"Perfect," Buzz chimes. Vidcund grimaces as Buzz pulls his fist back, doing his best to prepare for the final blow.

Suddenly, Buzz yelps as someone grabs his arm and twists it behind his back. Vidcund slowly opens his eyes, noticing his girlfriend, Circe, pushing Buzz against the tree. "No one gives my boyfriend a hard time but me, got it?" Circe snarls, hissing into the young man's ear.

"Got it," Buzz squirms as Circe grips his arm tighter. "It won't happen again."

"It better not," Circe growls. She lets go of Buzz, smiling in satisfaction when he races around the school and out of sight.

Vidcund slowly stands up and pulls Circe into a side hug. "Thanks Circe-oww!" Vidcund cries as Circe turns around and slaps him across the face, her eyes fuming.

"Vidcund, you're embarrassing me! Get in shape, or we're through!" she warns, aggressively poking his chest, "I am _not_ saving you again!"

Vidcund sighs, feeling even more defeated now than he did when Buzz had him in a headlock. "Understood," he squeaks.

 _Three Hours Later_

Jenny is standing in front of the full-length mirror in her family's living room, staring admiringly at the hem of the emerald dress she is wearing. "Thanks for helping me fix my dress, Mom," Jenny beams, turning to her mother, Kitty, who is situated on the ottoman, "I was worried I was going to have to wear pink tonight."

"No problem, sweetie," Kitty replies, putting away the rest of her sewing kit and tucking it under her arm, "There isn't a tangle alive I haven't been able to fix." Kitty and Jenny lift their heads slightly when they hear the front door creak open.

Pascal and Vidcund drag themselves into the foyer, their hair tussled and their bodies decked out in bruises. "Hi Mom! Hi Jenny!" Pascal greets, doing his best to sound enthusiastic.

Seeing them, Kitty tosses her sewing kit down and races over to them. "Oh my gosh! What happened?" she cries, the sound of her distress causing their father to get up from the kitchen table and join them.

"We ran into some trouble with the school bully," Vidcund confesses, barely able to look at his father.

"Now Vidcund, you know your father and I don't approve of violence."

"But he was beating up Lazlo!" Vidcund cries.

"WHAT?!" Kitty shrieks, her face instantly filling with rage, "Let me at 'em! I'LL KILL THAT LITTLE TWERP!" she exclaims, heading towards the door. Glarn grabs her by the shoulder and holds her back.

"Kitty, calm down," he states soothingly, "I'm sure we can fix this whole thing without resorting to violence-"

"-Mom?" Lazlo speaks up from the doorway, barely able to lift his head, "Can I get an ice pack?" he wonders.

Kitty screams when she sees Lazlo in disrepair and pulls him into a tight embrace. "Oh Lazlo, my poor baby! Just tell me who did this to you, and I'll call their parents!"

"Yeah, that'll stop them from getting beat up," Glarn crosses his arms and rolls his eyes at the ceiling. "Look, it's obvious you boys can't take this bully out on your own. But I'm sure with the help of an experienced adult such as myself, we can find a way to solve this crisis and get rid of this bully for good."

"Glarn, are you sure you don't need my help?" Kitty speaks up, still hanging onto her youngest son, "After all, I was trained in the-"

"Yes Kitty, we're fine," Glarn interrupts, waving away the thought, "The boys and I will come up with the perfect solution together."

"Okay, but no violence. They have their futures to worry about," Kitty reminds him, glancing at Pascal and Vidcund, who are still awkwardly standing by the door.

Glarn sighs and rolls his eyes. "Fine. You have my word, we won't use any violence-"

…

"Alright kids," Glarn states, pacing in front of Pascal and Vidcund in the center of Strangetown park, "Today I'm going to teach you two how to defend yourselves using violence."

"But didn't you just tell Mom-?" Vidcund begins, holding his finger up in point.

"Yes," Glarn confirms, "And that's why your mother can never find out about this," he concludes, stopping in place and turning towards them. "Now, pay attention, because what I'm about to teach you is very important-"

"Loki! Hey Loki!" Pascal chimes, waving wildly at his classmate who is standing with his mother near the park fountain. "It's me, Pascal!" Pascal shouts, "You know, Pascal from school?"

Loki groans and turns towards his mother, covering his face with his hand as he pretends like he doesn't see him. Pascal continues to wave frantically at him until Glarn grabs a hold of his arm. "Son, can you please stop being yourself?" he suggests.

"Aww, dad, that's the first time you've said that to me today," Pascal awes and wrapping his arms around his father, "I love you!"

"Oh God," Glarn grumbles, "That bully is going to have a field day with you," he states, now noticing that Vidcund is clinging onto him as well. "What's with you, son?" he wonders.

"It's Buzz, he's here!" Vidcund claims, pointing across the park at a muscular young man who appears to be about six feet tall, "He's going to beat us up again!"

Glarn looks across the park, eyeing the boy that Vidcund is pointing at. "Yeesh, _that's_ the guy who beat you up today? He's the size of a professional wrestler!" he cries before looking down at Pascal and Vidcund. "Don't worry kids, I'll talk some sense into his parents. I'm sure they'll respond well to reason-"

…

Glarn steps through the front door of his residence with Pascal and Vidcund trailing behind him, their father covered in bruises from head to toe. "God, Glarn! What happened?" Kitty cries, stepping into the room with Lazlo and scanning over her husband's injuries.

"Well, I tried to calmly explain the situation to Chip Grunt, and it turns out that aggression runs in the family," he sighs, moaning in pain as he attempts to sit on the couch.

"Oh Glarn," Kitty cries, "I told you not to resort to violence. You should just let me handle this-"

"No, no. That won't be necessary, dear," Glarn says, quickly getting up from the couch. "I can solve this, the boys just need to learn how to be more athletic," he reasons, gesturing his three sons towards the door, "Come on kids. Let's go to the park."

"But Dad-" Pascal begins, but Glarn ushers them out the door before he can voice his opinion.

Ten minutes later, the three of them are back in the center of the park. Pascal and Vidcund are standing in front of their father while Lazlo is off to the side tapping away on his Game Boy.

"Okay sons," Glarn states, holding a football in his arms, "Now, I know your mother didn't want me to encourage you to resort to violence, which is we're going to train up your athletic ability through sports, so you will be able to take out anyone who messes with you without me getting in trouble."

"I don't know, dad. Are you sure this isn't the same thing as fighting?" Vidcund questions.

"Yeah, and even if it is, why would we take fighting lessons from you? Did you see yourself out there? I mean, whoo! Open up a window!" Pascal enthusiastically states, waving his hand in front of his face as he holds his nose.

Glarn glares down at his oldest son. "That's enough," he grunts, "Now the first thing we're going to do today is learn how to catch a football," Glarn says, backing a dozen yards away from them. "Go long!" he shouts, waving Pascal and Vidcund back.

Vidcund scrunches his forehead and turns to his brother. "What did he say?"

Pascal shrugs. "I don't know. Something about hot dogs?"

Pascal and Vidcund look to each other and shrug, then start running around in circles as Glarn throws the ball towards them. Pascal runs forward and trips over a pebble, falling to the ground. Vidcund trips over Pascal and falls over him.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Glarn facepalms, watching the display unfold in front of him. The ball sours past Pascal and Vidcund and heads towards his youngest son, who is still playing on his Game Boy. "LAZLO, LOOK OUT!" Glarn screams as the football zooms towards him.

Lazlo lifts his hand off his Game Boy and catches it perfectly while he continues tapping away on the device with his other hand.

"Whoa, son!" Glarn cries, approaching him with Pascal and Vidcund, "Where did you learn how to do that?!" he awes.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe it's all the hand-eye coordination that's involved in video games, Dad?" Pascal sarcastically states.

Glarn sighs as he watches the sun set on the horizon. "Well, we better get home before your mother starts wondering where we went."

 _Later that Night_

Kitty is sitting in bed reading the latest issue of _Strangetown Monthly_ when Glarn enters the room dressed in his pale blue, button-down pajamas. He sighs as he takes off his slippers and gets into bed next to her. "Kitty, tell me the truth," Glarn speaks suddenly, his wife putting the magazine down slightly when he says this, "are our children wusses?"

"No," Kitty blinks, closing the cover on her magazine.

"Okay, let me rephrase that: Are our _sons_ wusses?" Glarn reiterates, staring into her eyes.

"Oh," Kitty states, staring at the wall slightly, "In that case, absolutely."

Glarn throws his arms down on the quilted bed and lets out an exasperated groan. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you knew!" Kitty defends, "Pascal freaks out at every minor injury he gets, and Vidcund talks to flowers more than people. Did I have to spell it out for you?"

"I guess not," Glarn groans, staring out the window. "But that does explain a lot," he states.

"Glarn, are you sure you don't need my help with this bullying situation?" Kitty wonders, placing her hand on top of his, "I think I have an easy way to solve this mess."

"Kitty, I assure you I have this whole thing under control," Glarn confirms, giving his wife's hand a gentle pat.

"Alright. If you say so," Kitty says with a sigh, before leaning over to the end table and turning off the light.

…

The next day, Kitty is scrounging under the living room couch at three in the afternoon, pulling out a few spare items that have fallen underneath it over the years. She scans over the potato in her hands and smiles. "Oh Pascal," she beams, eyeing the 'Vidcund is a potato' message that he carved on the side of it. She shakes her head and sets it on the end table when the door creaks open, and Lazlo steps through it.

"Hey Mom, everything went fine today. I'm going to go upstairs and sleep!" Lazlo cries, racing towards the stairs, his jacket pulled up over his face.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat something first? Usually you've gone through half of the refrigerator by now," Kitty says, stepping into the foyer. She turns around, finding herself face-to-face with both Pascal and Vidcund who are stepping in the doorway, their faces covered in bruises. "Oh no, not again. Don't tell me that boy is still giving you problems!"

"Okay, fine. We won't tell you then," Pascal casually states, giving his shoulders a shrug.

"Lazlo, did Buzz beat you up, too?" Kitty calls up the stairs.

"No, Mom, I'm fine," Lazlo calls out from the bathroom. "Nothing happened."

"Don't lie to me, sweetheart! I'm going to find out one way or another! Now take off that jacket and get down here!" Kitty calls up the stairs.

A few minutes later, Lazlo treks down the stairs, covered with bruises as well. Kitty puts her hand over her mouth in agony when she sees him. "Alright, that's it. No one messes with my children and gets away with it," she states, her eyes filled with determination as she grabs Lazlo by the arm, "Come on, kids, we're going to the Grunt's house!"

…

Fifteen minutes later, Kitty and the Curious brothers have arrived at 51 Road to Nowhere. Kitty stops her boys at the edge of the lawn and turns to the eldest two. "Wait here. This will just take a minute," she instructs them. Pascal and Vidcund turn to each other in intrigue before watching their mother walk across the front lawn with Lazlo next to her. Kitty arrives on the cement front porch and rings the doorbell, still hanging onto Lazlo's forearm. She gives a large exhale as she waits for the Grunts to answer, her stance filled with determination.

A few seconds later, General Chip Grunt answers the door. "Well, what do we have here?" he states, eyeing the blonde woman that is glaring at his doorstep. "Kitty Curious, I haven't seen you in years."

"I don't know why, I live right down the street," she quips, gesturing towards their house, "Anyway, it has come to my attention that your son is beating up my children," Kitty states, holding up Lazlo's bruised arm, "And I'd love to hear your lame-ass excuse as to why you think it's acceptable for him to do so!"

Chip leans up against the doorway, smirking as he crosses his arms and scans them over, clearly not intimidated by her anger. "Listen Kitty," he states smugly, "I hate to break it to you, but my son can beat up whoever he wants. It's survival of the fittest here; we can all beat up whoever, whenever! And there's nothing you, or your scrawny husband, or any of the other crybaby parents in this town can do about it," he coos, "So why don't you just go back to the crazy shack you came from?"

"Well," Kitty begins, clenching her fists tightly. "I see you've made your choice," she states firmly, the tension around them rising, "Now it's time for me to make mine." Kitty turns in place and places her hands on Lazlo's shoulders. "Lazlo, sweetie, I know I always told you that violence is not the answer, but sometimes it's the only way to stand up for yourself," she softly tells him, "Please don't tell your father about this," she states, ushering Lazlo behind her before turning back up to glare at Chip. "Listen Chip, I'll give you one last chance to apologize," she begins, eyeing Buzz who has joined his father in the doorway, "before I punch you in the face in front of your son."

Chip tilts his forehead, clearly baffled. "Excuse me?" he says.

"Too late!" Kitty chimes, throwing her arm forward and punching him square in the face, causing the general to fall to the floor. Chip groans and rubs his aching head as Kitty crouches down next to him, flashing a smirk. "Never beat up my husband again," she states sternly, "And you!" she speaks up, turning to Buzz, who is now standing behind his father looking positively terrified, "Quit beating up other children!"

Buzz obediently nods. "Yes, ma'am."

Kitty leans back, satisfied, her usual cheery demeanor quickly returning. "Good," she beams, before turning back towards Lazlo, "Let's go, honey," she says, grabbing Lazlo by the arm and heading towards Vidcund and Pascal, who are still standing on the edge of the lawn.

"Wow Mom, where did you learn how to do that?" Vidcund asks when the pair approach them.

"Please! Anyone who gives birth to four or more children can do that," Kitty replies, waving it off, "Who else do you think constructed all those observatories? Your dad? Give me a break!" she states, giving a small laugh as they walk down the Road to Nowhere.

Pascal shakes his head in astonishment, still unable to believe what he had seen. "Man, Mom. Why didn't _you_ teach us how to fight?" he questions.

Kitty shrugs. "Eh, I like to make your father feel like he contributes something," she says, moving them towards the sidewalk, "Now come on, kids, I think the coffee shop is giving away free pie today."

 _Present Day_

"-And that's the story of how we got free pie. And we were never beaten up again," Pascal concludes, lying back down on the red velvet-colored, psychiatrist-style chair as he reminisces about that day.

Bob, the furniture salesman, walks over to him and shakes his head at the scientist. "Sir, you can't keep doing this every week. I keep telling you I'm not a certified psychiatrist!" he groans, "Now, for the second time today, do you want to buy the chair or not?"

"Sure, why not?" Pascal states, glancing over the pink price tag briefly before leaning back down on the seat. The salesman nods in slight satisfaction as he goes in the backroom to draw up the paperwork.

Pascal sighs and smiles to himself as he lovingly places his hand on his heavily-pregnant tummy. "I hope I can be the parent you deserve," he whispers softly, "But even if I'm half the parent my mother was, you'll have a wonderful life."


	18. Alien Concept

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! We're approaching the final chapters of _Twisted_. This chapter is actually the finale of the present storyline, and the next two chapters will be the two-part finale of the past storyline. Thanks so much for reading!

* * *

 **Twisted**

 _Chapter Eighteen – Alien Concept_

"Hey, Vid! We got another one!" Lazlo announces as he walks into the kitchen carrying an extravagant gift basket that was placed on their newly-renovated front porch that morning. Lazlo walks by his middle brother, who is sitting in front of the television, and sets the basket on top of the kitchen island, where Pascal is already in the middle of devouring the roasted turkey that was delivered to their house a few hours before. Pascal's eyes widen when he sees the zealously-decorated gift basket.

"Ooh! Look at this one!" Pascal awes as Lazlo tears into the packaging. He turns to Vidcund and smirks, "Man, Loki is really trying to get back into your pants," he remarks.

"Yeah, well, it's not going to work," Vidcund states, turning away in disinterest as he crosses his arms, "It's going to take a lot more than a pile of food baskets for me to even consider giving him a second chance-"

"Yes! Pizza!" Lazlo cries, interrupting Vidcund's thought as he pulls a slice of pizza out of the basket and takes a bite. Lazlo sets the half-eaten pizza slice on the counter and turns to his brothers. "I'm going to eat that later," he states, before racing out of the room to make a phone call.

Pascal and Vidcund turn to one another, each sporting a rather puzzled look on their face. "Uh…ookay," Pascal speaks suddenly, shaking his head at Lazlo's departure before returning to his turkey, "Anyway, I don't know if it's me or the food talking, but you should take him back."

Vidcund sighs. "I am _not_ taking back Loki," Vidcund states, approaching the kitchen island, "And would you get that thing off the counter?" he cries, gesturing down at the ten-pound roasted turkey that is situated next to the microwave, "It was on our front lawn this morning!"

"So, it's a little dusty," Pascal chimes between bites, "What's the harm? It's not like it's going to cause anything bad to happen-ack!" Pascal immediately drops his fork and grabs onto his stomach, his face scrunching in pain.

"Oh no, what now?" Vidcund moans.

Pascal looks up at Vidcund, his startled look catching his younger brother by surprise. "I think my contractions just started."

 _Four Hours Later_

"Aww! Isn't he cute?" Pascal beams, gazing down at the seven-pound alien baby that he is cradling in his arms. Vidcund and Lazlo are standing beside Pascal's hospital bed in Strangetown Hospital after the most stressful four hours of their lives, which consisted of two hours of panicking and thirty minutes of crying, followed by an hour and a half of actually delivering the baby. Vidcund gives Pascal a small nod while Lazlo continues tapping away on his Game Boy. Pascal smiles and readjusts the baby in his arms, "You should call Loki and tell him the good news," Pascal states to Vidcund, "As a fellow man of science, I'm sure he'd love to hear about baby Tycho."

Vidcund gulps as he feels his stomach drop in place. He looks up at Pascal and sighs, not wanting to disappoint the new parent. "Uh…alright," he states, quickly dismissing himself into the hallway. Vidcund walks a few steps away from the door and takes a few deep breaths before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone. Vidcund's heart races as he holds his fingers shakily above the buttons, mentally fighting himself on whether or not he should make the call.

After a few minutes of deliberation, Vidcund sighs and holds down the cancel button as he presses the phone up against his ear. "Hello…Loki?" Vidcund speaks into the empty line, "Pascal gave birth today," he pauses, "Yeah, it was incredible. You should've seen it," he continues, pausing a second time, "I miss you, too. Bye!" Vidcund states, pretending to hang up. Vidcund shoves his cell phone back into his pocket before Loki's dwelling absence makes him cry.

"So, what did he say?" Pascal asks once Vidcund re-enters the hospital room.

Vidcund stares down at the floor, still deep in thought. "Oh, uh…he said he wanted to punch you in the face," Vidcund quickly lies.

"Aww! He really said that?" Pascal smiles, sitting up slightly in excitement, "What were his exact words?" he beams as Vidcund turns towards the empty hospital wall, tears forming in his eyes.

" _God, I miss him_ ," he squeaks.

…

Three weeks later, Vidcund is groggily pacing around the Curious residence after twenty-one straight days of minimal sleep due to the newborn baby. Vidcund moans as he flops into one of the living room chairs, his limbs feeling more jello-like with each passing day. "Alright Vidcund," Pascal chimes as he steps into the room carrying the infant, "I'm off to my appointment," he states, surprisingly quite chipper this morning, "Just watch Tycho until the babysitter comes," Pascal instructs, placing the baby into Vidcund's arms.

"Huh?" Vidcund grunts, slouching forward like a zombie.

"Great! See you in a few hours!" Pascal waves and blows a kiss. Pascal stops in front of the stairs and turns back to the pair, peeking his head out from behind the living room wall. "Just to clarify, the kiss was directed towards the baby, not you," he states.

Vidcund nods, still staring off into space. "Got it," he answers as Pascal exits the house and slams the front door shut. Vidcund groans and throws his head back, falling asleep almost instantly after Pascal exits the lot.

…

Vidcund wakes up to the sound of the doorbell ringing. The young scientist throws his head up, gripping onto the baby as impulse. He scans the area for any signs of danger before standing up in place. The doorbell rings once more, snapping Vidcund back into reality. "Oh. That must be the babysitter Pascal hired," he says, resting Tycho up against his torso as he answers the door.

Vidcund steps forward, staring briefly at the sim dressed in a solid black suit before handing the child over to him. "Here you go," Vidcund mumbles, barely able to keep his eyes open.

The sim smirks, "Thanks," he states, racing across the front lawn.

Vidcund grabs the door and attempts to close it, only to find someone's foot wedged in the doorway. Vidcund cocks his forehead and stares up at the young woman who is dressed in brightly-colored clothing and is carrying a matching handbag with pictures of baby animals on it. "Uh, who are you?" Vidcund asks.

"I'm the babysitter!" the woman chimes, giving a friendly wave, "Now where is baby Tycho?" she wonders.

Vidcund moves his head to the side, eyeing the man with the black suit, who is getting into a car labelled "The Dudes in Black" at the edge of their front lawn.

"Oh shit," Vidcund cries, his face shifting into pure horror as he watches them turn and disappear along the Road to Nowhere.

After several calls to the police and an hour of researching every suspected location of The Dudes in Black, Vidcund finds himself scared and alone in the Curious residence, deciding his next course of action. "Oh, it's hopeless!" he cries, throwing his head down on the tabletop, "The Dudes in Black are filled with the most devious minds in the Simverse! You'd need to be some kind of evil genius to even know where they are, let alone to try to stop them-" Suddenly, Vidcund lifts his head up, this line striking a chord in his mind. Vidcund reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone, quickly typing Loki's number. Vidcund hesitantly hovers his finger over the call button, wanting to make the call, but not wanting to hurt his pride.

Finally, after picturing Pascal's reaction to a childless Curious residence, Vidcund slams his finger down on the button.

The phone begins to ring.

…

Fifteen minutes later, Vidcund and Loki are walking through the outskirts of Strangetown, each holding both a flashlight and a small weapon in their hands as another familiar sim trails close behind them.

"So, let me get this straight, you gave Pascal's baby to a member of The Dudes in Black because you thought he was the babysitter?" Loki reiterates, nudging Vidcund in the side.

"Yes," Vidcund nods.

Loki scrunches his forehead, unable to believe what he is hearing. "I don't understand. How do you accidentally give a child away to a criminal gang?"

"Well, when you haven't slept well in three weeks, you do some pretty crazy things," Vidcund explains, stopping when he notices Loki giggling into his hand, "What?"

"Sorry. I just find this whole situation hilarious," Loki spits out between his fits of laughter. "So, what are we supposed to be looking for again?" he questions, before leaning towards Vidcund and lowering his voice to a whisper, "And why is Circe here?" Loki wonders, gesturing to the sim who is trailing them.

"Because she knows where the headquarters is," Vidcund replies, "Plus, she can beat up teamsters. I mean, did you honestly think _we_ could?" he challenges, stopping at an unmarked door in the hidden depths of the city. "Here it is: The official Strangetown Dudes in Black Headquarters," Vidcund whisper-announces, turning towards Loki and Circe, "So, how the hell are we supposed to get in here?" Vidcund wonders, scanning over the seamless door frame.

"Allow me," Circe begins, moving between Vidcund and Loki as she steps towards the door. Circe pounds her fist on the door, the sound of the metallic knocks echoing through the alleyway.

"HEY IDIOTS! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!" Loki shouts in accompaniment next to her. Circe turns to Loki and nods in approval as she takes a step back from the doorway, hearing scrambling inside.

The scientists take a step back as the door slowly creeps open, revealing three black-hooded individuals, their faces indistinguishable from one another. The man in the middle steps forward, eyeing the three scientists that have interrupted their creative endeavor. "Yes…?" he voices.

"Wow," Vidcund mutters to Loki, glancing at the three dudes, "I can't believe that actually worked."

"I know," Loki whispers back, before shifting his attention back to the task at hand, "Listen dumbass, I heard this other dumbass accidentally gave you a baby this morning, so we're here to get it back!" Loki boldly declares, narrowing his eyes at the man in the center. "So, give us the baby now, or face the wrath of my wife!" he shouts, pointing his finger in the dude's face.

Vidcund's eyes widen as one of The Dudes in Black pulls a gun out of his pocket. Vidcund gulps, gives a nervous laugh, and quickly pushes Loki's hand down, now realizing the seriousness of this situation. "Or, we could just sit here and let you guys give us the child back without causing any trouble at all," Vidcund calmly states, "Surely you must have some sort of compassion for children."

The Dudes in Black simultaneously throw their heads back, letting out evil laughs towards the sky. "Hah!" the man in the center chimes, "Evil people such as ourselves have no desire to love or show compassion, that's what makes us evil!" he declares. Loki stares down at the floor, deep in thought. "Now get out of here, you are wasting your time! You will never get your child back!"

Loki clenches his fists, the painful memory of his daughter flooding into his mind. "Oh, that's it!" Loki growls reaching into his pocket.

"Loki, no!" Vidcund cries, attempting to shield him from the angry dudes.

Loki pushes Vidcund out of the way and pulls out the Memorium 2045x. He turns the dial and blasts all three of The Dudes in Black with it. The intensity of the strike causes the members to fall to the floor. Thinking quickly, Circe races into the open entryway as Vidcund sits up and eyes the three fallen individuals a few feet away.

"Oh. So that's why you shoved me out of the way," Vidcund realizes as Loki holds his hand out to help him up. Vidcund smiles as Circe returns a moment later with Tycho, who is dressed in a miniature version of The Dudes in Black's dark hood.

"Okay. Come on, we gotta go!" Circe commands, somewhat of breath as she races off the lot.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Thirty minutes later, Vidcund and Loki walk into the Curious residence with Tycho. Vidcund gives a sigh of relief as he carefully sets the baby down into his neon green crib. He dusts his hands off and turns to Loki. "Well, thank goodness that's over," he states, the scientist following him into the kitchen. Vidcund stops next to the refrigerator and turns towards the living room, now noticing the awkwardness in Loki standing only a few feet away from him. "So, uh…are you going to go now?" he mutters.

"So, you're still mad at me, huh?" Loki speaks up next to him, moving towards the empty gift baskets on the counter and past Lazlo's moldy, half-eaten pizza slice. Vidcund nods, causing Loki to stare down at the floor and sigh, "What's it going to take for us to move past this?" Loki questions, "It's been five months, and you still haven't forgiven me! Come on, Vidcund, what's this all about?"

"You know what this is about, Loki," Vidcund states firmly, "This is about our lopsided relationship. It's about how you mean the world to me, but you can't even say that you love me," Vidcund reminds him, "And frankly, I don't get it. So please, just tell me why you don't."

"Vidcund," Loki begins, releasing a heavy sigh as he stares down at his lover, Vidcund's arms crossed as he slouches on the barstool, "like I told you earlier, it's not that I don't love you. It's much more complicated than that-"

"-And that answer's not good enough for me!" Vidcund cries, his head spinning from this repeat discussion, "I need more than that if you really want us to be together."

Loki stares down at the floor and sighs once more, finally coming to a decision. "Okay, fine. Then I'll give you the truth," he responds, taking the seat next to Vidcund. Loki anxiously runs his fingers through his hair before he turns to face this conflict. "Look, I have this pattern where every time I tell someone that I love them, things fall apart shortly afterward, and I get my heart ripped out. And I don't want that to happen with you and me, okay? I don't want that to happen again. I can't take it again," Loki confesses, tears forming in his eyes, "I can't take that risk."

"Maybe love can be a risk, Loki," Vidcund tells him, staring at the distraught sim, "but it's a risk worth taking."

"No, it's not," Loki states conclusively, standing up from his seat and turning to Vidcund, "And it doesn't matter, because I can't love anyway."

Vidcund shakes his head, clearly confused. "What?" he replies, "But you just said-"

"Well, I lied," Loki snaps as Pascal steps through the doorway.

"Hey everyone, I'm baaaack!" Pascal sings, throwing his arms up in a dance. Pascal's enthusiasm quickly fades when he sees Vidcund's somber expression across the room.

"Hey Pascal," Vidcund says weakly, "can we talk?"

Pascal nods as Loki storms past him. "Sure."

A few minutes later, Loki is walking along the Road to Nowhere when he hears someone calling out to him, the sound of their footsteps racing across the pavement catching the scientist's attention. "Loki! Loki, wait up!"

Loki turns around only to find Pascal Curious running up behind him; he sighs. "What do you want, Pascal?"

"I heard about what you did today, you know, with Circe and Vidcund," Pascal clarifies, a slight twinkle in his eye, "and I wanted to thank you for saving my child-"

"Oh, uh…you're welcome," Loki answers somewhat unexpectedly.

"-And I also wanted to tell you that you are not a monster," Pascal continues, "And that you, my friend, can love, and whether you accept that fact or not, I know it's true."

"That is ridiculous!" Loki cries, throwing his arms out towards the street, "You of all idiots should know that I am incapable of feeling anything for anyone. My heart is made of stone, nothing can go in or out."

Pascal shrugs. "Okay. Say what you will," he squeaks, the smirk still glued on his face, "but if you ask me, that guy – the one who saved my baby – _he_ can love."

Loki steps back, clenching his fists as he tries to keep Pascal's words from entering his mind. "Leave me alone, Pascal," he growls before stomping all the way back home.

Loki throws open the front door, stomps past the living room and down the basement steps. "Get out!" he screams at Nervous, who quickly sits up from the cement and tears up the exit. Loki pulls out his desk chair and takes a seat. He sighs and plops his head down on the desk. " _Pascal doesn't know what he's talking about. I can't love! I'm the evilest sim in the city!_ " he internally cries, " _All my relationships are and always have been meaningless to me, and I can prove it!_ " Loki scans the area briefly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the Memorium 2045x. Loki sighs as he rolls it over in his hand. He scans the area once more before grabbing onto a latch hidden on the base of the invention. He pulls it open, revealing two hidden dials that can be set to any date. Loki sets one dial on the "time erased" panel to today's date and the other dial to one year and ten months ago: the day he met Crystal. Loki takes a deep breath as he slowly and shakily holds the device up to his head.

Loki hovers his finger over the button, cringing slightly as he tries not to think about, nor show any emotion towards, what he is about to do. " _Yes, Loki. Erase it. Just erase it all! Wipe the slate clean and pretend this whole thing never happened!_ " Loki's inner demon rings through his mind, " _If you don't do this, you'll never truly be evil!"_ Loki sighs as almost two years of memories start playing back through his mind…

…

"-Oh, and Loki? Pack up your desk, you're moving to the second-floor lab," Eric instructs, catching the mad scientist off-guard.

Loki turns back around and faces his boss, visibly stunned. "What?! Why?" he squeaks.

"Well, there have been numerous complaints from the other scientists," Eric explains, Crystal stopping in the doorway, "And Circe threatened to sue if I didn't separate the two of you after you guys' break-up," he explains further, "I've been meaning to move you up there anyway, since Vidcund left that empty seat. You'll take the desk next to her," he exclaims, gesturing up at Crystal.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Loki cries, his face flushing slightly. "I'm your best scientist, I give you results! I've been working here since this company was founded; I practically _built_ that lab!" he shouts, "If anyone should move, it should be Circe!" Loki cries, feeling weaker by the minute. Across the room, Crystal watches sympathetically as her rival crumbles.

"We can't move Circe, it would mess up her entire team and cut down productivity by three percent," Eric tells Loki, "Besides, you're a loner scientist. It makes more sense to move you."

"Unbelievable!" Loki throws his arms out, "This whole meeting wasn't about the two of us not getting along, it was so you could transition me into a demotion!"

"I'm sorry Loki," Eric sighs, "But it has to be done."

Loki steps back, his body still in shock as he struggles to process what is happening. Loki brings his hand up to his chin, trying his best to hold back his tears. Loki takes a deep breath and races out of the office.

…

Crystal's eyes slowly trail down to their enjoined hands, her face tingling. She takes a step away from Loki. "I think…that this fake relationship has gone way too far," Crystal confesses. "I've worked my entire life to get where I am today, and I'm not going to give it up for-"

"-For what?" Loki states challengingly. He tightens his body, knowing the next words he hears are going to sting.

Crystal looks down at the ground briefly before staring back up at Loki. "For you," she completes, wondering if it hurts her more to say these words than it hurts Loki to hear them. "You built a life here, Loki, and that's great, but it's not for me."

"Then make it for you!" Loki pleads, blocking the door.

"Loki-"

"I'm serious, Crystal. Change everything, I don't care!" Loki cries, desperately gesturing around at the room décor, "I love you!"

"-And I don't love you," Crystal reveals, tears forming in her eyes. Loki steps back, this revelation deflating him and leaving him crushed, "I'm sorry, Loki, I do care about you, but I can't live this lie knowing you believe it. And that's why you and I are done," Crystal squeaks, barely able to force the words out of her mouth before the tears stream down her face.

Loki turns towards her, clearly jolted, everything seemingly moving in slow motion as he reaches out to the sim departing in the doorway. "Crystal, no! Please, don't leave me! Please!" he begs in distress.

Loki steps back, the room clouding up around him as the sound of the front door slamming shut breaks his heart in half. Loki kneels on the floor of what was once their future and bursts into tears, his whole world crumbling around him, leaving nothing but a broken shell.

…

Loki steps forward and grabs Vidcund's hands, holding them delicately in front of him, "Hey, listen, I really like you, okay?" Loki speaks softly into the silence, affectionately rubbing his knuckles, "Stay here with me."

Vidcund looks up at Loki, feeling his heart break as he stares into his eyes. "No. I should go," he firmly states, feeling himself both physically and emotionally pulling away.

Loki watches as Vidcund walks away from him and turns towards the Road to Nowhere, "Why?"

Vidcund stops at the street corner. "Because you don't love me, and you never will!" he cries, staring him down, "So why am I wasting my time?!"

…

Loki sits in his basement lab, continuing to hold the Memorium 2045x up to his head as he relives some of the memories that caused him pain. He grips the device harder, his finger brushing up against the erase button as his hand continues to shake.

" _Don't do it, Loki,_ " a voice that sounds like his conscience states, " _If you do this, you'll lose everything. Everything you ever loved…_ "

Suddenly, his mind begins to flood up with different memories that start playing back in slow motion…

…

Loki slowly walks back into the building, feeling physically drained and defeated. He drags his feet up the steps, trying to mentally prepare himself for the pain that is to come. _"God, why couldn't Santo demote me at the end of the day? Then I wouldn't have to clean out my desk in front of the other idiots! I can just imagine what Pascal is going to tell Vidcund…"_

Loki steps onto the second floor, freezing in place when he sees all his stuff already situated on his new desk. Loki carefully walks forward, clearly flabbergasted, as he eyes the items on his desk, Crystal awkwardly standing behind it. She steps forward, her hands clasped behind her back as she shuffles her feet, a small smile on her face.

"I uh – I thought I would spare you the humiliation of moving," Crystal elaborates once their eyes meet.

Loki moves forward, his eyes still stained with tears as he walks over to her. He throws his hands around Crystal, pulling her into a warm embrace, Crystal stiffening a bit at his touch. "I'm sorry I'm such a dipwad," he whispers into the silence.

Crystal sighs as she consolingly pats him on the back a bit. "It's okay," she whispers, wrapping her arms around him and returning the hug, the two of them the only sims in sight. Crystal pulls Loki back a bit and gazes genuinely into his eyes. She smiles, "Welcome to the second floor, Dr. Beaker."

…

Loki is standing in front of Crystal's house, dressed in an over-the-top, black-tailed tuxedo, waiting impatiently for his boss. Loki sighs and stares down at his watch. "Come on, Crystal, hurry up! We're going to be late!" Loki calls.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't find my left shoe!" Crystal exclaims, quickly stepping out on her front porch and pulling the door shut. Crystal turns to face Loki, her bright red, sleeveless, floor-length ball gown knocking against the top stair. Crystal walks over to him, carrying her matching heels. "Alright, let's get this nightmare over with!" she declares, locking eyes with Loki, who is staring at her dumbstruck. "Uh…are you okay?"

"Yeah," Loki shakes his head, returning to reality.

…

Loki nods, speechless, as the young woman exits into the bathroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts. " _I really like her,"_ he states, _"-Shit_."

…

it is my pleasure to announce to all of you, our new head of the Science Department… _Dr._ Loki Beaker!" she proclaims, pointing towards the wall.

"Of course it's Pascal!" Loki exclaims, throwing his arms up as he walks towards the front of the crowd. "Why not? He always gets everything he wants!" Loki exclaims, now realizing all eyes are on him. Loki turns around, noticing all his colleagues are flashing him puzzled looks. Loki turns to Crystal, suddenly understanding what was just said. "Wait, what?"

"I picked you, dingus," Crystal smirks, doing her best Loki impression, "Now are you going to take the position or not?" she wonders, crossing her arms.

Loki leans back a bit, trying his best to play it cool. "Yeah, I guess," he answers nonchalantly, "I mean, I don't have anything better to do."

"Splendid," Crystal replies.

…

"So I gotta know: Why did you really choose me?" Loki speaks up, standing straight in triumph.

"Because you're the best person for the job," Crystal replies, "Plus, I did take it from you, remember?" she jokes, giving him a small smile. "Besides, I think it's finally time you get some recognition for your talents."

…

"Right," Loki huffs, feeling his anger returning, "because there can't be any other explanation as to why I don't like the two of you together!" he storms, turning around to face the plant biologist. "If I'm jealous, it _has_ to be because I like Circe!" he shouts, throwing his arms out in frustration, "God, Vid! How can you be so smart, yet so dumb?!" Loki cries.

"Wow, that's great. Thanks for insulting me," Vidcund sarcastically responds, "That really makes me want to believe you now. I'm sure you'll be singing the same tune once I catch you flirting with Circe," Vidcund replies, flipping over some papers on his desk.

"Vidcund, I don't like Circe," Loki states, releasing a frustrated sigh as he stares down at the floor. Loki can hear Vidcund muttering annoyances under his breath. Loki shakes his head, regains his composure, and gazes up at Vidcund, "I like you."

…

"Hey! Curious!" a familiar voice shouts behind him. Vidcund freezes when he sees Loki walk onto the lot.

"Oh great!" Vidcund groans when he finds the physicist only a few feet away from him, "What do _you_ want? Do you want to yell at me for leaving with two napkins in my pocket because that somehow ruined your wedding?" Vidcund fires at him, "Well, go ahead! At this point, nothing could surprise me!" he exclaims, throwing his arms out.

Loki steps forward in silence, his expression somewhat uneasy. Loki sighs, brushes his palm against the side of Vidcund's face, leans forward, and kisses him. Vidcund stands stationary, seemingly numb, his eyes widening in shock. Loki slowly steps away, cautiously staring at his rival, the plant biologist's mouth now agape as he stands there speechless.

…

"Oh, and be nice to Vidcund. He's trying his hardest and he really loves you. I mean, what sim with ten neat points would sleep on a bench in a hospital? That's insane," Crystal remarks, giving Loki a gentle pat.

Loki nods and turns his attention to the doorway, once again staring at his slumbering boyfriend, who is lounged across the bench in the hallway. "Yeah. It is," he agrees, a strange tingly feeling washing over him.

…

"Come on, I'll buy you dinner," Loki offers, holding his hand out and helping Vidcund up. Loki shyly looks down at the ground when they come face-to-face. "Thanks for waiting for me," he sincerely states, a slight blush forming on his cheeks as he stares awkwardly at the ground. Loki leans forward and kisses Vidcund on the cheek. Vidcund backs up slightly, waking up completely as he is taken off-guard, covering his lips with his hand, his face flushed.

"You kissed me in public," Vidcund awes, astonished by this occurrence.

"-Don't get used to it," Loki remarks, a small smile forming on his face. Loki looks up and eyes Crystal, who is down the hallway conversing with Lazlo. Crystal smiles as she watches Loki wrap his arm around Vidcund, giving him an appreciative pat on the back before leading him down the hall.

…

Earlier that fateful day, Loki is lying down on Crystal's couch holding onto Crystal, who hasn't moved in hours. Loki's phone goes off in his front pocket. He sighs and slowly takes it out, staring down at the screen. The screen reads 6:15 p.m. and is flashing a photo of Circe. Loki immediately rejects the call, not giving it a second thought.

"Loki, I really appreciate you staying with me today," Crystal sniffs, "but you really need to go home and be with your family."

"You're my family," Loki reminds her, pulling Crystal into a warm embrace.

…

"Look, I can fix this, okay?" Loki assures Crystal, "I have an invention that can erase memories; I can make you forget this whole thing ever happened."

"I don't want to forget our child, Loki," Crystal states, staring up at him with her tear-stained eyes, "She's the one thing I want to remember."

…

In present-time, Loki's grip loosens the Memorium 2045x as Pascal's voice rings through his mind. _"Okay. Say what you will, but if you ask me, that guy – the one who saved my baby – he can love."_ Loki jerks his head back slightly, tears forming in his eyes as his most cherished memories finish playing back to him, visibly overwhelmed by the dozens of emotions he felt in this past hour.

" _Do it!_ " Loki's inner demon voices, _"You don't need them!"_

Loki stands up from his seat, loosening his grip on the Memorium 2045x. He lets it fall, his mind not even registering the sound of it breaking into pieces on the floor. "Yes, I do," he announces to the empty room. Loki leans up against the wall, the strength of his acknowledgement draining him from head to toe. The scientist bursts into tears, covering his face with his hands as he cries into the floor, finally accepting that he is human and that he can, in fact, love. And worst of all, he actually wants to.

After a few minutes of solid crying, Loki slowly stands up from the cement, gently drying his tears with his hand as he realizes what he must do. Loki bolts out of his residence and races down the dimly-lit Road to Nowhere, his mind focused only on the task at hand as he heads towards the house of the person he cares about the most.

Loki arrives at their doorstep and paces nervously around the front porch. Loki sighs, regains his composure, and knocks on the door. After a few minutes of waiting, Loki is about to give up, when he hears someone answer his knocks. "Oh, thank God!" Loki cries once he comes face-to-face with the right person. "I love you," Loki genuinely proclaims.

Vidcund tilts his forehead, still half-awake and in his pajamas. Upon hearing Loki's confession, Vidcund smiles back at him, his eyes shining. "I love you, too," he says, pulling Loki into a warm embrace.

The pair passionately kiss a few times, before Loki pulls back, wrapping his arms around Vidcund once more. Loki makes eye contact with Pascal, who is smirking at him from his seat in the living room, a parenting book in hand. Pascal tilts his head to the side, an 'I told you so' look in his eyes.

Loki blushes, "Oh, shut up!" he beams.


	19. A Change of Plans Part 1

**Twisted**

 _Chapter Nineteen – A Change of Plans Part 1_

After five days lying in bed and five nights with miniscule sleep following the worst breakup he had ever experienced, Loki Beaker finally decides leave his house and take a walk down the Road to Nowhere to clear his head. Loki sighs as he steps out onto his front porch, the dry desert air flowing harshly through his hair, making him feel numb. Loki slowly treks down the main road, the sun setting on the horizon. He stops once he reaches the edge of town and turns towards the various residences, the familiar sight of the buildings making him sick as several of the houses roar with life. " _I gotta get out of here,_ " Loki moans, holding his stomach as he watches the Smith family happily eating dinner in their backyard.

A few minutes later, Loki continues to wander down the road, so deep in thought that he doesn't notice where his legs are taking him. All of a sudden, Loki stops, the sight of Crystal's rundown house striking him in the chest. Loki sighs, chills filling his body, as he stares up longingly at the residence; a single porch light illuminating the home. Loki takes one step forward, his mind racing a mile a minute as he debates his next course of action. After a few moments, he drags himself up the porch and stops in place, finding himself face to face with the front door. Loki takes a deep breath, his fist filling with hesitation as he raises it above the door knob.

" _I want her so bad, but I can't let her know that,"_ Loki confesses, his eyes filling with tears, _"I can't let her have power over me."_ Loki sighs as he brings his down, releasing his fist before it can make a sound. He scans the area and carefully walks down the front steps, too filled with pride to beg his ex for a second chance…

…or so he thought.

"Loki?" Circe squeaks as she opens the front door of her apartment in the dead of night. She smiles slightly as she locks eyes with the physicist, his expression lifeless and uncaring.

"Marry me, Circe," he states.

 _The Next Day_

Crystal beams as she walks through the doors of SimSanto Incorporated, the company buzzing with efficiency as the Chemistry Department works at top speed. "Great work, guys!" Crystal grins as she walks past them, heading up the stairs to check up on the other departments. Crystal is about to head up the second-floor staircase when she hears a tense conversation near the employee bathroom. Crystal stops in the doorway and pretends to flip through the paperwork on her clipboard as she listens in on the two scientists.

"Unbelievable!" a voice that sounds like Vidcund's rings out from behind her, "After all the years we've spent working on our relationship, I can't believe that you would do this to me!"

"Vidcund," Circe's voice attempts to soothe him, "you don't understand. An opportunity like this only comes once in a lifetime."

"Really?" Vidcund snarls, frustration growing in his voice, "You think marrying your conceited ex-boyfriend is the opportunity of a lifetime?!" he spits, "I can't believe what I'm hearing!"

"Vidcund, you don't get it," Circe continues, "Loki and I are in love!" she announces, Crystal's stomach sinking at his news.

"You're right, I don't get it," Vidcund rages on, "I don't get why you would dump me for someone who you said last week was a total shitstorm!" Vidcund cries, "Well, have fun being Mrs. Shitstorm!" Vidcund growls, Crystal quickly lifting her clipboard over her face as he storms past her.

Crystal slowly puts down her clipboard, the seriousness of the situation finally sinking into her brain as she eyes Loki walking into his office. " _Oh no_ ," she states as she feels the anger bubbling up inside of her.

…

Mere seconds later, Crystal bursts into Loki's office, throwing the door open with a single wave of her hand. The loud thump of the door causes both Loki, who is sitting at his desk, and the construction workers, who are repairing the gigantic hole in the second-floor workplace, to look up from their paperwork. "Loki, we need to talk!" Crystal declares, throwing her hands down on his desk.

Loki's face scrunches slightly as he refuses to even make eye contact with his boss. "I would prefer not to," Loki remarks, adjusting the papers in his hands, "In fact, I hired Craig here, so I wouldn't have to do that ever again," he notes, gesturing to their fellow coworker, who is sitting in a seat wedged in the corner of the room. Craig nods and gives an awkward wave to Crystal.

"Get out, Craig!" Crystal demands, the fierceness in her eyes not leaving Loki's equally intense gaze.

"Right," Craig fearfully says, bolting out of the room and slamming the door as the pair continue to have an intense stare-down. Crystal and Loki both glare harder at each other, trying their best to get the other person to crack before they give in to their surroundings.

"You need to call this off _now_ ," Crystal commands, still staring into Loki's eyes.

Loki gives a small laugh as he slyly leans back in his seat. "So, you've heard the news?" he begins, his response sounding more like a statement than a question.

"I have," Crystal nods.

"Typical," Loki rolls his eyes as he stands up from his desk and faces the back window, "Gossip always spreads like wildfire around here."

"Why are you doing this, Loki?" Crystal wonders, the question burning in her very soul, "We just broke up, and I know for a fact that you don't love Circe."

"Both of those statements are correct," Loki confirms, turning his head slightly over his shoulder, "and I don't care about either. I never wanted to marry you because I love you, Crystal," he states, the words painfully exiting his body, "Believe me, that was just an added nuisance-"

Crystal steps forward, clenching her fists slightly, "Does Circe know?"

Loki tilts his forehead in confusion. "What?"

"Does Circe know that this engagement is a lie?" Crystal cries, clenching her fists harder at her sides.

"I don't see how that matters," Loki states, turning back towards the window, "If she wants to believe that it's real, then that's her choice."

"So, she doesn't know that you're using her?" Crystal repeats, unable to believe what she is hearing as she stares up at Loki awaiting his reply. Loki stares down at the carpet and nods softly. "That's evil."

Loki raises his eyebrows slightly as he lifts his hands up. "Surprise," he says emotionlessly.

"Loki, you can't do this," Crystal pleads, "Circe thinks you really love her, and you don't. You can't just string her along and let her get tied up into this sham!"

Loki slowly turns towards her and eyes the distressful look that is plastered on Crystal's face. Loki sighs, lingering between two emotions: One longing for her, and the other not wanting to give in too easily.

"Okay," he states conclusively, "Tell me that you want me back, and I'll call the wedding off."

Crystal's gaze shifts to the floor, her eyes filling with tears as she debates whether or not she should lie to him. Crystal sighs, finding her inner strength as she looks into Loki's eyes. "I can't," she says, "I can't lie to you."

Loki steps back slightly, feeling his heart rip in half once again. "Then I have nothing to say to you," he concludes. Loki moves forward, hoping to guide Crystal towards the door, but she stands her ground. Crystal looks into his eyes. For the first time in her life, Crystal can actually see raw human emotion on Loki's face as they stand mere inches away from each other. Crystal's expression instantly softens as she reaches a gentle hand out towards the side of his face.

"Loki, I-"

"Save it," Loki immediately steps back, turning his head away from her as he grabs her hand to reject her consoling advance. "I'm not your boyfriend, Vu. And I never will be," Loki adds, taking another step away from her, "You dug our relationship's grave, now lay in it."

Loki exits his office, leaving Crystal alone. She slowly folds her hand up, her limb his burning from his touch, and turns towards the open doorway where Loki just departed: part of her wishing they weren't too prideful to confess their feelings, and another part of her happy that she has finally closed the door on this chapter of her life.

…

Loki winces as he heads towards the second-floor staircase, his hand on his aching chest as he thinks about the hurt expression that was on Crystal's face only a moment prior. Loki stops suddenly, Vidcund blocking the doorway, the young biologist glaring at his boss with his arms crossed. Loki's stomach sinks as he eyes the scientist, Vidcund's facial expression suggesting that he means business.

"I don't get you, Loki," Vidcund firmly states, "First you date my girlfriend, then you say that you want me. Next, you propose to Circe and make her break up with me, what is with you?" he demands, pain filling his eyes.

"Vidcund," Loki sighs, unable to face the hurt that he has caused him, "You don't get it-"

" _I_ don't get it?" Vidcund chimes, almost growing hysterical at this small amount of déjà vu, "Oh, _no_. I am not having this conversation again! I'm sick of you and Circe just playing with my emotions! I am not your toy!" Vidcund cries, throwing his arms out angrily in emphasis, "I don't know why you think it's so amusing to mess with my feelings, but I am not falling for any of your shit ever again! I'm never going to let myself be wooed by your false confession!" he vows, "From now on, stay away from me!"

Loki scrunches his forehead, surprisingly unfazed by Vidcund's fierce exterior and blazing declaration. "False confession?" Loki repeats, "What the hell are you talking about? I never lied to you!"

"Yeah, right," Vidcund sarcastically states, rolling his eyes up at the ceiling, "So I'm supposed to believe that you had feelings for me right before you proposed to Circe?"

Loki's eyes widen at this comment. He scans the area, grabs Vidcund by the arm and leads him into the closet. "Vidcund!" Loki whisper-hisses, closing the door behind him, "What are you doing? Are you trying to get me fired?" he states.

Vidcund sighs and rolls his eyes at the ceiling, his arms still folded across his chest, "I'm glad to see that at the end of the day that's all you really care about."

"You know that's not true," Loki replies, reaching towards him.

Vidcund turns away from the physicist. "How do you expect me to believe anything you say when your actions don't back it up?" he questions, "Look, Loki. I know why you did it. I know you were trying to ruin my life just like you always do, so why don't you just admit that you don't actually like me?"

Loki looks up at Vidcund, now comprehending the pressure Crystal was feeling only moments ago. "I can't," he answers honestly, "I can't lie to you."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, filled with disbelief at Loki's words, "What?"

"You heard me," Loki says, slowly steeping towards him, "I like you, Vidcund Curious." Loki leans forward, delicately grabs the sides of Vidcund's face, and kisses him. Vidcund stiffens slightly, his body filling with shock at Loki's actions. Vidcund gently nudges Loki away from him, the startled look on Vidcund's face causing the physicist to step backwards.

"Well, that was not the reaction I was hoping to get from you," Loki confesses, nervously playing with his hands, "But at least now you know it was the truth."

"Yeah," Vidcund speaks softly, unsure how he should feel about the kiss. "We can't do that ever again, Loki. You have to be faithful to Circe," Vidcund says, trying to crush any budding feelings he may have for him as Vidcund stares down at the carpet. "I have to go," he states, cautiously stepping towards the door, leaving Loki alone with his thoughts.

Pascal tilts his forehead as he sees Vidcund step out of the closet, Loki taking off down the hallway only a few seconds later as Pascal locks eyes with his brother. "Why were you two in the closet?"

"Uh, science experiment," Vidcund states. Pascal tilts his head, clearly puzzled. "Don't ask," he mutters, taking off down the hallway before Pascal can push for any more details.

 _Meanwhile: On the First Floor_

Crystal is sitting at her desk, trying her best to complete her daily share of paperwork and hoping these thirty pieces of paper would distract her from the events that occurred earlier that morning. "Damn it!" Crystal curses, so deep in thought that she didn't notice she had crushed her pen in her hand a few minutes ago, the ink now stained in her palm. Crystal sighs as she opens her desk drawer, her stomach in a knot as she notices her signed photo of Loki that he insisted should accompany the letter of recommendation that he wrote her. Luckily, Crystal slipped the photo out moments before Eric had taken the envelope from her. The photo shows Loki with his arms crossed sporting his signature smirk as the autograph reads: "Crystal, thanks for not being a jerk after all – Loki" underneath it. Crystal wipes her hands on a spare napkin before lifting the photo up, cracking a small laugh as she reminisces about that day.

"Crystal?" Circe's voice rings from the doorway, instantly snapping Crystal back into reality.

"Circe!" Crystal cries, quickly plopping the photo down and sliding the desk drawer shut in one swift motion, "What's up?" she wonders, releasing a small breath to regain her composure.

"Well, as everyone in the building now knows, I'm getting married to Loki this summer, and there's something I've been dying to tell you," Circe begins, Crystal gulping at this news, "You may find this incredibly hard to believe, but I don't have a lot of female friends, so I want you to be my maid of honor."

Crystal's eyes widen as she immediately jumps up from her seat. "No. Circe, I couldn't-"

"Nonsense!" Circe chimes, completely ignoring the young woman who is frantically waving her hands to reject the offer, "All you have to do is just stand next to me and make me look good!" Circe explains, "It's the easiest job in the world."

"No, really, I can't," Crystal says once more, "You don't understand-"

"You can and you will," Circe counters, turning towards the door before Crystal can get another word in. All of sudden, Circe stops in the doorway and snaps her fingers. "Oh!" she states, turning back to face her boss, "And I also wanted to tell you that I'm changing careers," Circe adds, "Strangetown Hospital offered me a very prestigious position in the medical department, so I'll be starting there after I get back from my honeymoon," she clarifies, "I figured it would probably be a good idea to work at a different company now that Loki and I are getting married. I'll put my resignation on your desk this afternoon!" she announces over her shoulder as she sashays out of the room, leaving Crystal dumbfounded.

Crystal sighs as she slowly sinks down into her desk chair. "Well, this has 'disaster' written all over it," she mutters.

 _Three Months Later_

Vidcund is lying down on the floor of the Curious residence's greenhouse, his body lathered with pesticides. "Hey!" Vidcund cries as he feels someone dragging him out of the room by his legs. "What'd you do that for, Pascal?" Vidcund wonders, eyeing his older brother who is dressed in flashy party clothes. "And what's with the outfit?"

"Like you don't know!" Pascal chimes, buttoning the jacket of his black, sparkly tuxedo, "Tonight is Loki's bachelor party and as his closest friend, I must go."

"You're his closest friend?" Vidcund repeats, scrunching his forehead, clearly puzzled.

"No," Pascal answers, "but we're the closest things he has to friends, so get ready, cause we all have to be at his house in five minutes," Pascal states, tapping the surface of his Hello Kitty wristwatch.

"-And you say I have terrible fashion sense," Vidcund mutters, lying back down on the ground.

Pascal nods. "You do, that's why you don't have one of these," Pascal chimes, not missing a beat as he gestures down at his watch, "Now quit trying to become a plant and get dressed. We have a party to attend!"

"No," Vidcund replies, crossing his arms over his torso as he stares up at the ceiling, "I am not going to Loki's bachelor party, and there's nothing you can do to make me!"

A half hour later, Vidcund is sitting in the back of a limousine between Pascal and Lazlo. Vidcund turns to Pascal, still sporting a glare on his face. "Damn it! How did you make me do this?" he snaps.

"Let's just say I know your weakness," Pascal states, giving a sassy smirk as he holds up one of Vidcund's prized African violets. Pascal sets it in a nearby cup holder.

"I still don't get why we came to this. He's marrying my ex-girlfriend!" Vidcund pouts, turning towards the window.

Pascal turns to both of his brothers and shrugs. "Eh, I was mostly in it for the free food," he reveals, reaching over Lazlo and grabbing a flower-shaped candy behind him. Pascal pops it into his mouth and chews, his youngest brother still tapping away on his Game Boy.

"That's not food, those are scented soaps!" Vidcund whisper-hisses.

"Did I tell you I didn't want to eat soaps?" Pascal counters, popping another scented soap into his mouth. Pascal burps up a bubble. Vidcund shakes his head and groans, covering his eyes with his hands as Loki plops down in the seat next to him.

Later that night, the scientists are back in the limo after a few hours of barhopping. "Hey Vid," Loki greets, his breath smelling slightly from a couple rounds of drinks.

"Hey," Vidcund greets, tepidly turning away from him.

Loki smiles, moving towards him as the rest of the party continues with a game of charades. "Do you want to know a secret?" he hiccups.

"You're drunk?" Vidcund grumbles.

Loki throws his head back, giving a monstrous, uncontrollable laugh. "No, silly. You're _hot_ ," Loki coos, kissing Vidcund on the cheek, Vidcund's face wildly blushing.

"Loki," Vidcund states, lowering his voice in the hopes of not attracting the crowd, "You can't keep doing stuff like this. You're getting married tomorrow!"

"You're right," Loki hiccups, turning towards the object of his affection, "You should stop the ceremony. Just object at the wedding, and you and I can be together!"

"What? No!" Vidcund cries, shaking his head in disbelief at the atrocity that Loki is suggesting.

"Please, Viddy," Loki says, grabbing onto his arm affectionately. The pet name causes Vidcund's stomach to flop, "I don't want to marry Circe, and I'm too stubborn to leave her at the altar. Just do anything, say anything, don't let me make this mistake!" he begs.

"No," Vidcund whispers firmly, "You made this mess, now you have to be the one to fix it!" he growls as Loki reaches over and takes a shot of tequila.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Lazlo curiously wonders, taking the seat on the other side of Vidcund.

Vidcund's face flushes slightly. "Nothing!" he quickly answers turning away from Loki.

"You're right," Loki hiccups, staring into space, barely able to lift his head up as he takes another tequila shot, "Everything will be fine once I marry Crystal tomorrow," sounding surprisingly certain for someone who is wasted beyond belief.

" _Circe_ ," Vidcund corrects him, "You're marrying Circe, Loki."

"Right," Loki nods, grabbing onto the bottle of tequila and taking another swig of alcohol.

Vidcund sighs and turns to Lazlo, an irritated look on his face. "He doesn't even know who he's marrying tomorrow!" he remarks, before snatching the bottle of alcohol from Loki, who is now tracing swirls on his face, "I'm just going to take that away from you now," Vidcund states.

Two hours later, the Curious brothers stumble out of the limousine, eyeing the drop-off spot at 1 Tesla Court. Vidcund groans as he rubs his aching head. "God, that was the worst party ever! I have such a headache, I didn't sleep a wink, and it's five in morning!" Vidcund exclaims, staring down at Pascal's watch.

The eldest Curious brother beams. "Now who's unfashionable?" he questions, gesturing down at the layer of barf that is covering Vidcund's classic brown jacket.

"Nice try, but it's not my fault the groom-to-be vomited all over me," Vidcund exclaims, scanning the area with Pascal, "Hey, where'd he go anyway?"

…

Meanwhile, Loki stumbles down the Road to Nowhere in the dead of night. Loki trips over the sand and falls face-first onto the grainy surface, giggling to himself as he stares up at the sky. Loki slowly gets up off the ground and moves forward, a clear destination in sight as his legs lead him to the lot at the edge of town. Loki sighs as he turns to face the rundown house, his greatest fear inside. Too intoxicated to think twice, Loki steps forward and rings the doorbell.


	20. A Change of Plans Part 2

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I can't believe that this is the last chapter of the story! I actually came up with this idea shortly after I finished _Survivor_ , and after drafting "Wedding Day", I knew I had to write it. For those of you who are wondering, the title _Twisted_ refers to both Loki's various simultaneous relationships and the ordering of the actual story. This fanfiction was originally supposed to center around Vidcund, but as you can see, Loki quickly took over it. :)

Thank you so much to anyone who read, reviewed, faved, or alerted this story. It makes me overjoyed to see that there are so many people who still love to read Strangetown fanfiction. I never expected this much support for a story fourteen years after _The Sims 2_ came out. You guys are amazing! Special thanks to wi-fu, who drew an incredible picture of Crystal  & Loki yesterday that referenced _Young Scientist Awards_. (It is absolutely amazing, and you are so talented!)

So, here we go, one final twist! This entire chapter is the whole reason why _The Amazing Race_ has been on hiatus since July 2017. (Just so you know, it will be coming back this summer!) I hope you enjoy this last chapter, and please feel free to leave me a review telling me what you think! :D

* * *

 **Twisted**

 _Chapter Twenty – A Change of Plans Part 2_

"Loki?" Crystal groggily states after swinging the door open at five in the morning. The young woman yawns, barely able to keep herself awake as she locks eyes with her ex-lover. "What are you doing here?" she wonders, crossing her arms over fuzzy, purple robe.

Loki gives a toothy grin, his body swaying from side to side as he struggles to stand. "I came here to see you, cutie," Loki spews, leaning forward and tripping over his own foot. Crystal holds her arms out and quickly catches him before he can hit the ground, the smell of alcohol reeking from his breath.

"Okay. You are clearly not in the right state of mind right now," Crystal comments, trying her best to hold his body up, "Come on, let's get you inside before you do something reckless."

Crystal groans as she helps Loki to the couch, the scientist stumbling over his own feet with each step they take together. Crystal sighs as they finally reach their destination, the whole endeavor leaving her sore from head to toe. She plops Loki down on her tan, worn-out living room sofa. Loki smiles as his back rubs against the soft surface. He giggles and moves his hand towards her, gently playing with Crystal's hair.

"Mmm…you're so sweet," Loki chimes.

Crystal quickly moves his hand down, quite fixated on the seriousness of the situation. "Loki, how did you even get here?" she wonders.

"I just told the driver that I wanted to see the hottest person in the city," Loki answers, turning to the side and tracing the floral pattern on the couch cushion.

Crystal leans back a bit, clearly baffled, "And they took you to _my_ house?"

"No," Loki quickly replies, "They took me to Ajay's house, then I walked here," he responds, sitting up on the sofa and straining to make eye contact. "Hey, you wanna see my PhD?" Loki states, reaching towards the hem of his pants, "My phenomenally hard di-"

"No!" Crystal's eyes widen, abruptly holding his hands down, "I don't want to see your PhD, Loki," she reiterates before taking a seat on the sofa next to him. "Why don't you just sit here and not say anything?" she suggests, slowly releasing his hands.

"Okay," Loki replies, a surprisingly compliant tone in his voice. Loki inches closer to Crystal and stops a foot away from her.

"Uh, a little further away," Crystal instructs. Loki nods and leans closer, resting his head on Crystal's shoulder. "No, that's the opposite direction."

"Oooh," Loki moans in distress, wrapping his arms around Crystal's torso, "Why didn't you marry me, Crystal?" Loki bluntly vents, "I wanted to marry you."

Crystal freezes up slightly, narrowing her eyes in wonder at the one rational thing he has said all evening, "You did?"

"Yeah," Loki confesses, "You're the whole package. You're pretty, you're smart, you're successful…" he trails off, staring into the carpet, "When you turned me down, I was devastated." Loki lifts his hands up, desperately grabbing Crystal by the shoulders. "Please help me, I don't want to marry Circe!" he weeps, throwing his head down and sobbing into her chest.

"Oh God," Crystal groans, releasing a heavy sigh as she stares down at the broken scientist, "Come on, Loki, you don't mean all that," she states, praying that this display is nothing more than a cathartic experience, "You're just tired and wasted and anxious about your wedding tomorrow," she tells him, patting Loki delicately on the back, "You need to get home to your fiancé and-" Crystal looks down only to find Loki fast asleep on top of her chest. Crystal grunts, trying her best to move him off of her, but he doesn't budge. "Of course!" she grumbles, rolling her eyes up at the ceiling.

After a few more moments of struggle, Crystal sighs, her gaze stopping on her end-table telephone. "Great. It's the night before the biggest wedding in Strangetown, and the groom is asleep on top of me," she says into the silence, "Now let's see here, who can I possibly call who won't judge me for this?"

Across town, Chloe Singles has just stepped out of The Hub, the hottest nightclub in town, and is fiddling through her pockets for her buzzing cell phone. "God Crystal, what is it?" she answers, a large group of attractive singles exiting the building behind her, "It's five-thirty in the morning! Most normal people would be asleep by now." Chloe's mouth drops when she hears Crystal's response on the other end of the line, "Holy shit, I'll be right over," she promises.

Fifteen minutes later, Chloe swings open the door of the rundown residence, Crystal's spare key in her left hand. Chloe's eyes widen in shock when she sees Loki passed out between Crystal's breasts. "Oh my gosh, I thought you were kidding!" Chloe shouts, gesturing down at Loki, "Do you _want_ to die at the hands of Circe?"

"Well, obviously not. That's why I called you here," Crystal concludes, shifting uncomfortably underneath the physicist, "Now can you please get him off of me?"

"Alright," Chloe agrees, looking scared out of her mind, "But if anyone asks, I was never here."

Crystal groans as Chloe lifts Loki off of her body, the young woman's stomach churning as she stands up from the couch.

"Well, see ya!" Chloe quickly exclaims, making a beeline for the door.

Crystal moans as her stomach continues to flip flop, suddenly feeling quite nauseous. "Oh no," Crystal squeaks, clenching her tummy. She bolts to the bathroom and retches into the toilet.

A few minutes later, Crystal steps out of the bathroom and wanders over to the couch. She stops a couple of inches from the right arm and stares down at Loki, who is fast asleep on his back, sleeping peacefully. She leans forward and touches the side of his face with her hand, lovingly caressing his cheek. Crystal sighs as she pulls her hand away from him. "Goodnight Loki," she states, stepping away from the couch and departing to her bedroom.

…

Loki groans as the desert sunlight seeps in through the window a few hours later, his head pounding from the night before. _"What the hell…?"_ Loki begins as he scans the surroundings of a place he had only seen once prior. _"Oh shit…"_ Loki curses, his eyes narrowing in on the rusted ceiling pipes, _"What did I say to her?"_ he ponders, peering down at the blue fuzzy blanket that he presumes Crystal must've wrapped around him, _"Well, it must not have been that bad."_

"Hey, you're up," Crystal chimes, stepping into the room from the kitchen, a steaming cup of coffee in hand, "Come on, I made you breakfast," she states, ushering him towards the table.

Loki scrunches his forehead slightly, seemingly surprised by this news. "Oh...alright," he says, getting up from the couch and joining her at the table. He stares down at the plate of delicious-looking food that she has set in front of him. "Wow, edible-looking food," Loki comments, still staring down at the plate, "There's something I won't be seeing for a while."

"Loki," Crystal speaks suddenly, putting down her biscuit as she looks up at his defeated expression, now realizing how sad that statement really is and how much the man sitting nearby has seemingly ceded, "Did you mean what you said last night?"

"That depends," Loki speaks up, not bothering to look away from his plate as he picks up his utensils, "What did I say?"

Crystal sighs, knowing that these next few words would be difficult to muster. "That you don't want to marry Circe, and that you wanted to marry me?"

"Oh," Loki squeaks, setting down his knife, appearing to be deep in thought, "Yes and no," he answers honestly, "I don't want to marry Circe, but I still want to marry you," he confesses, unable to stare Crystal in the face.

Crystal nods softly, her mind racing a mile a minute at Loki's raw, yet surprisingly meaningful confession. " _Oh God, look at his face. There's no way I can let him go through with this! Well, everyone deserves to be married to someone they actually like, right?_ " Crystal's conscience blares as she places her hand over his own, "Okay, fine. Let's do it," she states definitely.

" _What_?"

"You heard me. Let's go to the courthouse and get married."

"You're kidding," Loki replies, his mouth agape, "What about Circe?"

"Oh, so now you care about Circe?" Crystal snarks, rolling her eyes, "Well, at least now when she finds out that you were never into her, she won't be stuck in a loveless marriage with you!" Crystal cries, getting up from the table and racing into her bedroom to rummage through her dresser drawers. Loki wanders in behind her, a look of shock still plastered across his face. "I'm already in this mess, so I may as well go all the way and try to save you two from a legal catastrophe!" she continues, searching through her closet, "We have just enough time to drive to Pleasantview and get this thing done in private. Now get cleaned up, I'm not marrying you with you looking like that!" Crystal barks, gesturing down at his vomit-covered outfit.

"Geez! Nag, nag, nag! You already sound like my wife!" Loki chimes, as a small smile forms on his lips.

…

An hour later, the pair finds themselves near the front of the line at the courthouse, only one pair of individuals standing in front of them. "Now remember, you can't tell anyone about this," Crystal states, holding onto the paperwork as she stands next to him, wearing her lavender bridesmaid dress, "We'll get married here, I'll keep my last name, and we'll take this secret to the grave."

"Right," Loki nods, wearing his tuxedo, "I already bribed the priest and the entire Strangetown council, so I shouldn't face any problems at all when I marry Circe this afternoon," he explains, "We'll be in the clear once we get back to Strangetown."

"Great," Crystal says as the clerk calls them to the window, "Now try not to cause a scene," she mumbles as they approach the front desk.

"I'll try," Loki promises.

"May I help you?" the clerk asks, scanning the pair of individuals over as she adjusts her thick red glasses on her face. Crystal nods and sets the papers down on the desk. The clerk looks them over with brevity before staring back up at the couple.

"Yes," Loki states, "I want to marry this woman so that she is legally stuck with me," he says, grabbing Crystal by the waist and pushing her up against his side. "Oh, and do you have any mints?"

Crystal groans as the woman holds a pen out to each of them and gestures down at a few lines at the bottom of the document. "I can't believe I'm doing this…" she groans, shaking her head as she picks up the pen and scribbles her name down next to Loki's.

Five minutes later, Loki and Crystal race out of the courthouse and climb into Crystal's car. She hurriedly straps on her seat belt. "Come on, we have to get back to Strangetown. We don't want you to be late for your own wedding!" she chimes, starting the engine. Crystal shifts the car into drive, "Did you bring the device?"

Loki nods, "Of course," he states, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out the Memorium 3045x. "Why did you have me bring this anyway?" Loki wonders, "We both swore to secrecy!"

"I wanted you to bring it, because I don't trust you," Crystal reveals, nervously eyeing the clock which now reads '11:37 a.m.' in bright red cubic letters.

Loki tilts his forehead. "You don't?"

Crystal nods.

"Smart girl," Loki folds his arms across his chest and gives a smirk.

Five minutes later, Crystal swerves into the hidden parking lot behind the church. The pair unbuckle their seat belts and turn towards each other.

"Okay, you first," Loki says, gripping onto the Memorium 3045x, "I have to remember to erase my own memory," he explains, holding the invention up towards her. Loki accidentally catches a part of her hair in it as he pulls it slightly away from her body.

"Oww! Loki!" Crystal cries, eyeing the few strands of her fallen hair that have wrapped themselves around the device.

"Sorry," Loki apologizes as he aims the device at her face. Loki draws back slightly, when he feels Crystal's hand wrap around his own, holding the invention in place.

Crystal gazes up at him, scared of what is to come of this whole circumstance, "This thing is a ticking time bomb. We don't know when or even if it's going to go off," she says intensely. Loki nods, sensing the seriousness of the situation, "People may never find out the truth; Circe may never find out the truth. But I'd rather take the risk and do this behind her back than face her wrath head-on, cause at least now we have a chance to live," Crystal elaborates, only half-joking, as Loki nods in agreement. "But if she does find out…you and I are both going down together, okay?" she states, "Promise me that."

"I do," Loki nods.

"Good," Crystal replies, "Now let's forget this whole thing ever happened and erase everything that transpired after you arrived at my doorstep last night. We'll do it together, since again, I don't trust you, and I don't want either of us to accidentally slip up," she adds, grabbing the device and pulling Loki close to her, aiming the Memorium 2045x at both of them, "Say cheese!" she sarcastically coos as she presses down the button.

…

A few minutes later, Crystal and Loki stumble out of the car and stop at the back entrance of the church. Loki jolts awake as the alarm on his watch goes off, the device reading a quarter to twelve. "Oh God, I'm going to get married in fifteen minutes! Where the hell have I been?" he states, rubbing his tired, aching forehead, "I was supposed to be here three hours ago! Circe is going to kill me!" Loki exclaims, reaching for the iron door handle.

"Loki, wait!" Crystal cries, grabbing him by the arm; Loki immediately turns around and looks at her. Crystal doesn't know why, but something in the pit of her stomach is telling her that she shouldn't let him go through with it. "Please, don't do this. This is a big mistake."

"It's not a mistake," Loki states, as firm and cold as a block of ice, " _You_ didn't want me. And why do you even care anyway?"

"Because, I don't want you to marry Circe, okay?" Crystal cries, unable to believe that these words are coming out of her mouth as she practically begs him to reconsider, "Marry me. I want to marry you," she confesses, tears forming in her eyes as she realizes this for the first time, "I love you."

Loki stops in place, a million thoughts racing through his mind as he tries his best to process all that Crystal has confessed to him. Finally, Loki releases a heavy sigh and stares down at his boss. "Crystal," he begins, "I can't marry someone who loves me, it'll just hurt them in the long run," he reveals wholeheartedly, "They'll just keep thinking that they can change me and they can't. No one can," Loki assures her, gazing into her eyes, "I can't be faithful to you, and that was fine when you didn't love me, but now that you do, if we get together, you'll just have your heart broken time and time again. And I can't bear to put you through that," Loki whispers, pain in his voice. He sighs, "I'm sorry, but I have to go through with this, no matter how many of us may not want me to," he states, all emotion draining from his face as he stares into her eyes, "Goodbye."

Crystal watches as Loki exits into the back entrance of the church, leaving her heartbroken, stunned, and alone.

Crystal sighs as she paces anxiously in front of the door, scanning through her options, trying to figure out her best course of action. After nervously giving her elbows a few finger taps, she reaches into her cell phone and dials Chloe's number.

"I'm doing it, Chloe," Crystal rages, pacing outside the church in a frenzy, "I'm wrecking the wedding!"

"What?!" Chloe's voice rings out from the other end of the line, "Crystal, that's insane!"

"No, it's not. Loki doesn't even love Circe! This whole thing is a sham!" she cries.

"How do you know that?" Chloe asks, a dubious tone in her voice.

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because he freakin' told me!" Crystal yells, gripping onto the sides of her silver cell phone.

"Oh God, Crystal. Please don't tell me you like him."

"I do, but not like that. He's more of a sex buddy who's kind of my friend, and I just told him that I love him, but that may be some crazy hormones and – I don't know!" Crystal vents, attempting to explain their twisted relationship, "All I know is that no one else should be involved in this. Chloe, my mind is made up. I gotta stop this thing!" Crystal declares, hanging up her cell phone before her friend can voice her objection.

Crystal walks around the church and stops in front of the main entrance. She sighs, before confidently pushing open the entrance door and stepping into the extravagant church hall. Crystal steps forward a few paces and starts diligently searching the area. Behind her, the Curious brothers step into the lobby.

"Wow! Look at the size of this place!" Lazlo awes, gazing up at the marble pillars.

"I know! This must've cost a fortune!" Pascal chimes in next to him.

"Again, not helping," Vidcund mutters as the three of them head towards the main door. Crystal swerves around behind them and peers into an indoor window at the side of the church. Her stomach lurches when she eyes the large number of people situated in the pews.

"CRYSTAL!" Circe's sharp voice pierces out from behind her, the young woman wrapped in her elegant white wedding dress. "Where the hell have you been?! You were supposed to be here three hours ago!"

"I know, I-"

"Never mind that! Just get in position, my wedding is about to start!" Circe screams, her florid face causing Crystal to get apprehensive. "And I'll be damned if I let anyone ruin this day for me!"

…

Twenty minutes later, Crystal is standing onstage facing Circe and Loki as the priest continues to ramble on about concepts that neither one of them cares about. Crystal awkwardly stands in her place behind Circe, doing her best to avoid the pleading gazes that Loki is flashing her.

"Circe, do you take Loki to be your husband?" the priest asks the bride.

"I do!" Circe chimes instantaneously.

"And do you Loki take Circe to be your wife?" the priest asks the groom. Crystal's body tenses up when she hears these words.

Loki's body freezes. He turns his head and stares out at the audience, then turns back towards his fiancé, locking eyes with the woman standing behind her.

" _Loki_!" Circe hisses, hitting him with her bouquet.

The physicist shakes his head, quickly snapping himself out of it. "Uh…what the hell, why not?" he answers, turning to the priest.

"Well…that's one way to put it," the priest mutters, giving a sweat drop before turning to the crowd, "Now, if there's anyone here among us that has a reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace…"

Crystal stares out at the crowd, then over to Loki, her legs shaking. She steps forward and takes a deep breath, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, as she prepares to step out of line.

"What is everyone looking at me for?!" Vidcund's voice rings out from the crowd, "Do you really think that I'm so desperate that I would object at my ex's wedding?!" he questions, Crystal's stomach dropping at this embarrassing display, as something in her mind clicks. Loki, Circe, the priest, and several of the audience members nod. "-That's it! I'm out of here!" he yells as he inches out of the pew and storms towards the exit.

"Hey genius, altar's this way!" Loki calls out from onstage.

Vidcund turns around and glares at him. "Oh, shut up!" he yells as Crystal shakes her head, finally snapping herself back into reality.

…

A mere hour later, Crystal is sitting at an empty table at the reception hall fiddling with her straw wrapper, a defeated look spread across her face. Crystal sighs as she pulls out her cell phone, quickly punching in the number three on her speed dial and holding the silver device up to her ear.

"I don't get it, Chloe," Crystal speaks up after the friends exchange casual greetings, "I didn't even like him that much, and he was clearly never going to commit to me, so why does this hurt so bad?" she wonders.

"Because…rejection sucks," Chloe's voice rings out from the other end of the line, "But as much as you may not want to hear this, it was probably for the best."

Crystal huffs as she feels the pain of rejection aching in her shoulders. Crystal could always count on Chloe to never sugarcoat the truth. "Maybe you're right," Crystal states, "God, Chloe! How could I be so stupid?" she groans, staring down into the silk tablecloth, "I mean, I was all prepared to stand up and object at a wedding of man who had turned me down moments before, just because I didn't want him and my old college roommate to be miserable together!" she cries, unable to believe herself, "What is wrong with me?"

"Crystal, nothing's wrong with you," Chloe begins, still attentively listening to her friend, "It just sounds like you were leading more with your heart than your head."

"Yeah," Crystal agrees, "Thank God my brain woke up before I ruined my entire reputation. I'm never following my heart again," Crystal laments, her mouth opening slightly as she locks eyes with a young man across the room. Crystal gasps, her stomach suddenly filling with butterflies as the tall dark mystery man approaches her. "Uh, Chloe. I gotta go," she squeaks, quickly hanging up the call and pocketing her cell phone in one swift motion.

"Hi, I'm Lazlo," the young man greets, holding his hand out to her, "You must be Crystal. I've heard great things about you."

"Really?" Crystal quips, tilting her head wondrously as she eyes Pascal and Vidcund staring at them from across the room. Crystal looks back at Lazlo, now seeing the subtle family resemblances in his face as she gives him a smirk, her heart fluttering once again, "What exactly have you heard?"

…

A few minutes later, Crystal is not-so-surprised to find herself enjoying her time at the reception as she converses with Pascal and Vidcund's youngest brother, Lazlo. All of a sudden, Pascal swoops in and grabs Lazlo by the arm, pulling him away from Crystal.

"Hey!" Lazlo chimes.

"Sorry Crystal, but we gotta go!" Vidcund announces as the three of them race into the hallway.

"Huh, I wonder why?" Crystal states into the nearly-empty reception room. A few seconds later, a huge mob of Circe's relatives led by none other than the bride herself race by her screaming at the top of their lungs and run into the hallway. "Ah, that explains it," Crystal nods, taking a sip of her drink as Loki awkwardly approaches her from behind. Sensing his presence, Crystal's body tightens and she turns away from him. "I have nothing to say to you," she says. Even though the reception hall is nearly empty, she feels as though there is one too many sims in it.

"I know," he states, staring at the desolation, "Look Crystal, what do you want from me? Do you want me to stand up in the middle of the reception hall and say that I want you?"

"No," Crystal speaks abruptly, trying her hardest not to let her emotions overtake her, "I want you to actually say how you feel for once. Cause with all the people you've been leading on lately, who the hell knows anymore?" she cries, an incredible amount of hurt on her face as she turns to face him, "Come on Loki, what do you want?" she wonders, the question burning in her very soul, "Do you want to be with me? Do you want to be with Vid? Do you want to be with Circe?" she asks as Loki watches the maid of honor intently, "For once in your life, make up your mind and decide! Because if you don't, you're going to lose everything. Is that what you want?" she shouts, growing hysterical once more.

"No," Loki answers definitely.

"Then what do you want?" Crystal huffs, throwing her arms down in exasperation.

"I want him," Loki says suddenly, the realization causing a calming wave of reassurance to wash over him.

"Then go," Crystal steps back, the feeling of rejection not stinging as much as she thought it would.

"Right," Loki nods. Crystal watches as Loki bolts out of the room, leaving her alone in silence. Crystal sighs and rests her hand on the windowsill as she eyes Loki racing down the Road to Nowhere.

" _Way to go, Crystal_ ," her conscience sarcastically chimes, " _With his brown jacket, yellow shirt, and white pants...I should've known I'd never be able to compete with that!_ " A small smile creeping on her face as she now realizes a tiny part of her just wants them to be happy. " _Damn it! Since when I did start caring about Loki?_ "

…

Loki sighs as he finally makes it up the hill on Cover Up Road, his heart beating rapidly in his chest as he spots Vidcund near the front door. "Hey! Curious!" Loki shouts with all the energy he can muster in his tiresome state.

"Oh great!" Vidcund groans. Loki steps around Pascal's passed-out body and stops a few feet away from the biologist, "What do _you_ want? Do you want to yell at me for leaving with two napkins in my pocket because that somehow ruined your wedding?" Vidcund cries as Loki stares longingly at him, trying to build up the courage to confess, "Well, go ahead! At this point, nothing could surprise me!" Vidcund exclaims, throwing his arms out.

Loki steps forward in silence, his expression somewhat flustered. Loki sighs, brushes his palm up against the side of Vidcund's face, leans forward, and kisses him. Vidcund stands stationary, seemingly numb, his eyes widening in shock as Loki slowly steps away from him. Vidcund's mouth drops as he stands there speechless, dozens of thoughts featuring the two of them racing through his mind as he anticipates what is to come.


End file.
